The Supreme Court is set to deliver judgments on Thursday that could reshape the fortunes of the Peoples Democratic Party and the African Democratic Congress before the 2027 general elections. The rulings come a day after an Abuja Federal High Court barred the Independent National Electoral Commission from recognising recent congresses conducted by the Mark-led National Executive Committee.
David Mark said on Wednesday night that the ADC would be on the ballot for all elections in 2027 despite the legal fight surrounding the party. He spoke after receiving a briefing from the party's legal team on the Federal High Court decision in Abuja, insisting the party would remain in play as the courts weigh its internal disputes and the broader challenge to its standing.
The legal pressure on the PDP and ADC has turned Thursday into a make-or-break day for both parties, with the court decisions likely to influence how they organise, campaign and present themselves ahead of the next general elections. The ADC dispute is especially sharp because it directly touches on whether INEC can recognise congresses carried out by the Mark-led leadership, a question that goes to the core of the party's authority.
That uncertainty is playing out alongside other political moves around the country. Prof Sadiq Gombe, the embattled national chairman of the Social Democratic Party, announced May 9 for the party's national convention and nationwide congresses in Abuja on Wednesday, even as the party remains locked in a leadership dispute. In Osun State, Governor Ademola Adeleke accused some elements within the All Progressives Congress of plotting to disrupt the August 15, 2026 governorship election, while Vice President Kashim Shettima urged APC leaders and aspirants to choose unity and restraint in a statement titled Don't Pull Down the Roof.
Elsewhere, President Bola Tinubu appointed Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu as Nigeria's Minister of Foreign Affairs after Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar resigned to take part in the 2027 elections. In Delta State, the Inspector-General of Police ordered immediate disciplinary action over the fatal shooting in Effurun that killed one civilian, Mene Ogidi. In Katsina State, police said they foiled a bandit attack in Dandume Local Government Area, arrested one suspected bandit and rescued two injured residents after attackers invaded Unguwar Bido and Unguwar Kanawa at about 10:00 p.m. on Tuesday.
Fuel prices are also adding to the pressure, with Premium Motor Spirit nearing N1,400 per litre in many parts of the country as Middle East tensions and OPEC-related developments keep traders on edge. For now, the biggest test comes from the courts: if Thursday's judgments go against the PDP or the ADC, both parties will have to fight their way into 2027 from a weaker starting point than they can afford.
