Top Court Upholds ADC Candidate's Symbol, Disqualifies PDP's Turaki

The Supreme Court has delivered its verdicts on the leadership crises in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), with mixed outcomes for the feuding leaders of the parties.

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The apex court granted a temporary reprieve to the Senator David Mark-led national caretaker committee of the ADC, while voiding the Ibadan National Convention of the PDP that produced Tanimu Turaki as national chairman of the party.

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The court's decision to vacate the Court of Appeal order that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) relied upon to de-recognise the Mark-led team has significant implications for the party's leadership.

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INEC has stated that it will obtain the certified true copies of the ruling on the ADC, study them, and take appropriate actions on whether or not to recognise the Mark-led executive committee.

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Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has welcomed the verdict in the PDP case, claiming that it has killed factions in the party.

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However, the National Publicity Secretary of the Turaki group, Ini Ememobong, has lamented that the ruling has left the PDP without a clear leadership.

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Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, has thrown his weight behind a suit seeking to compel INEC to de-register the ADC, Accord Party, and three other political parties.

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Senator Mark has announced that the ADC will appeal a lower court's ruling restraining INEC from recognising its recent congresses.

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A five-member panel of the Supreme Court, headed by Justice Mohammed Garba, faulted the Court of Appeal for ordering the maintenance of the status quo ante bellum in the ADC leadership crisis.

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The Supreme Court held that the appellate court unilaterally made the order after it had already dismissed an appeal lodged by Senator Mark, rendering it unnecessary, unwarranted, and improper.

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The apex court explained that the error on the part of the appellate court was in the nature of the injunction it made in respect of a matter pending before the trial court.

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The Supreme Court ordered the warring factions of the ADC to return to the high court for determination of the leadership case pending there, while upholding the dismissal of the interlocutory appeal that challenged the jurisdiction of the trial court to entertain the case.

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INEC has updated its official register of political party leadership to reflect former Senate President David Mark as National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress, with former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola listed as the party's National Secretary.

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The Supreme Court voided the national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State, on November 15 and 16, 2025, which produced the Tanimu Turaki-led factional national executives of the PDP.

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A five-member panel of the apex court, in a split decision of three-to-two, dismissed the first appeal marked SC/CV/164/2026, which the Turaki-led faction filed to set-aside the Court of Appeal judgment that affirmed the nullification of the convention.

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Justice Stephen Adah, who delivered the lead decision, held that the appeal lacked merit, as the appellants acted in breach of a subsisting order of the Federal High Court in Abuja which restrained them from proceeding with the planned convention.

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Justices Simon Tsammani and Sadiq Umar dissented, maintaining that the dispute was strictly an internal party matter and should not have been entertained by the courts.

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Ini Ememobong, spokesperson for the Turaki-led faction, warned that the ruling leaves the PDP without a clear leadership ahead of the 2027 elections.

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Ememobong expressed confidence that the party's internal organs will move to stabilise the situation, but warned that the implications could extend beyond the party if not carefully managed.

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Nyesom Wike declared an end to factionalism in the PDP following the Supreme Court's ruling, stating that the judgment has settled the matter once and for all.

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Wike claimed that the Supreme Court decision has made it known that there is only one PDP, and that factions no longer exist in the party.

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Senator Mark has said that the ADC will appeal a Federal High Court ruling barring INEC from recognising its state congresses, insisting that the party will still be on the ballot for all elections in 2027 despite ongoing legal battles.

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Mark spoke after being briefed by the party's legal team on the judgment of the Federal High Court, saying that the party has already begun the appeal process and filed for a stay of execution.

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Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar cautioned Nigerians against celebrating too early, despite the Supreme Court's affirmation of Mark as leader of the ADC, saying that the real political battle still lies ahead.