As the Supreme Court reserves judgments in the protracted leadership disputes in the Peoples Democratic Party and the African Democratic Congress, many Nigerians are wondering if the judgments of the apex court could promote a strong multi-party democracy or encourage the perceived slide to a one-party state, Ejiofor Alike reports

Following last Wednesday’s announcement by the Supreme Court, that it had reserved judgments in the appeals filed by the two major opposition parties – the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) – over their leadership disputes, the key promoters of these parties and their supporters are now waiting with bated breath.

A five-member panel of justices of the apex court had made the announcement shortly after lawyers representing parties in the disputes adopted their processes as their briefs of argument for and against the appeals.

While the loyalists of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and the critical stakeholders in the PDP led by Oyo State Governor ‘Seyi Makinde are battling for the control of the party, a former Senate President, Senator David Mark and a former Deputy National Chairman of the ADC, Hon. Nafiu Bala Gombe, are both laying claim to the national championship of the party.

PDP’s legal battle arose from the conduct of the party’s national convention in Ibadan last year, which produced the Tanimu Turaki-led national executive.

Austin Nwachukwu and two other PDP chieftains had dragged the Ambassador Iliya Damagum-led national executive before Justice James Omotosho, over alleged non-compliance with the party’s guidelines as well as the Electoral Act in the conduct of the PDP convention.

In another suit, a former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, had dragged the party before Justice Peter Lifu of the same Federal High Court, to challenge his exclusion from the convention.

Justices Omotosho and Lifu had ordered the PDP not to hold the convention but the main opposition party went ahead with the convention, relying on a go-ahead order by an Oyo State High Court.

Consequently, the Court of Appeal nullified the Ibadan convention and recognised the faction of the party led by Wike’s loyalists.

The Turaki-led PDP had approached the apex court to challenge the judgement of the Court of Appeal.

PDP’s lawyer, Chief Chris Uche (SAN), had urged the apex court to set aside the two judgements and hold that the lower courts erred in assuming jurisdiction in the internal matters of PDP.

In the case of the ADC, the leadership crisis escalated after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) derecognised Mark’s leadership of the party, which it had initially endorsed.

INEC’s decision, which the commission claimed, was based on the order of the Court of Appeal, fuelled allegations that the commission was being used by the agents of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to destabilise the opposition party and deny major opposition figures the platform to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general election.

The same allegation was made against the courts for recognising Wike’s faction, which is perceived to be pro-APC and pro-Tinubu.

With Wike in control of the authentic faction of the PDP, there are strong speculations that the party will not field a formidable candidate that can wrestle power from Tinubu in 2027.

For ADC, though INEC did not recognise Gombe as the national chairman of the party, some of his backers are believed to be pro-APC elements working for Tinubu.

Again, by removing Mark and exposing the party without any leadership, INEC is believed to be deliberately weakening the party’s capacity to challenge Tinubu in 2027.

Consequently, Jibrin Okutepa (SAN), who represented Mark, at the Supreme Court, had urged the apex court to allow the Turaki-led PDP’s appeal, insisting that the apex court had in a March 21, 2025 judgement put an end to the issue before the court, when it held, “No court has jurisdiction to entertain cases bordering on internal affairs of political parties.”

Okutepa urged the apex court to allow the appeal and hold that the trial court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain a suit bordering on ADC’s internal matters.

But Robert Emukpero, (SAN), who represented the first respondent, Gombe, urged the apex court to reject the appeal and affirm the judgement of the lower court, which held that the case of the appellant was premature and dismissed it.

After taking arguments from all parties, Justice Mohammed Garba, who presided over the proceedings, announced that judgement was reserved to a date that would be communicated to parties.

As the apex court reserves judgments on the two political parties, many Nigerians are wondering if the judgments could favour a strong multi-party democracy or enhance the current perceived slide to one-party state.

With the APC currently controlling 32 states, many Nigerians had raised the alarm that the country was drifting to one-party state, a claim which the APC had debunked.

The lack of virile opposition that could hold the ruling APC to account in line with the tenets of democracy, has strengthened the fear of a one-party state.

Analysts believe that with Wike in control of the recognised faction of the PDP, the main opposition party is now an appendage of the APC.

With the minister’s strong backing of Tinubu’s second term bid, there is the fear that the PDP will also back Tinubu in the presidential race.

Political analysts predict that the APC will also take over the control of the ADC and frustrate the presidential ambition of the leading opposition figures if the party is handed over to Gombe by the courts.

As Nigerians await the judgements of the apex court in the leadership disputes, a worrisome trend is this perceived alliance between the agents of the ruling APC and the minority factions in both political parties.

Wike, who is working for the APC government, is the leader of the minority but court-recognised faction of the PDP.

Similarly, the ADC member representing Yagba Federal Constituency of Kogi State, Leke Abejide, who is aligning with Gombe in the battle to wrestle power from Mark, is a strong ally of the Chief of Staff to the President, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.

Speaking in Abuja during Abejide’s wedding anniversary, held recently, Gbajabiamila had pledged to support Gombe to “scatter” the ADC.

While encouraging Abejide to continue to “scatter” the ADC, Gbajabiamila told the lawmaker to also bring Gombe to him for support.

Gbajabiamila’s comment is an indication that the agents of the APC are backing Gombe’s bid to wrestle power from Mark so that both the PDP and the ADC will be under APC’s control.

Will the Supreme Court’s judgements hand over the control of the two major opposition parties to the agents of the APC who are masquerading as opposition figures or strengthen the capacity of the opposition parties to challenge the ruling APC in the interest of the country’s democracy?

Leading opposition figures, whose presidential ambition is at stake, and many other Nigerians are waiting for the answer with bated breath. (THISDAY)

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