As the extended deadline given by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for political parties to upload candidates for the 2027 general election expires today, confusion has continued to trail the opposition over unresolved leadership disputes, parallel nominations and competing claims to party leadership.

The uncertainty deepened yesterday after the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, affirmed the Federal High Court’s ruling restraining INEC from receiving names or correspondence from the David Mark-led National Working Committee (NWC) of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Stakeholders warned that the lingering crises within opposition parties, coupled with conflicting judicial pronouncements on the status of some participating parties, could undermine the credibility of next year’s general election.

INEC last Friday extended the deadline for the upload of nominated candidates from the earlier date of July 11 to July 14, 2026, stressing that political parties have until midnight today (Tuesday, July 14) to complete the process.

In line with the INEC timetable, political parties were expected to have uploaded the names and personal details of their presidential, Senate and House of Representatives candidates by July 11, 2026. However, the commission explained that the decision to grant a grace period followed appeals from political parties, which reported technical hitches during the process.

Announcing the extension, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, said the commission acted on representations made by the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC).

While urging political parties to take advantage of the extended window and ensure that all required details are uploaded before the close of today, Haruna added that IPAC had appealed on behalf of parties that encountered difficulties in meeting the original deadline.

Some of the parties yet to receive a clean bill of health for participation in next year’s election include the AA, ADC, Accord Party, NDC, ZLP and AAC, whose registrations remain subject to litigation.

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) said that although it has resolved its leadership crisis and nominated a vice-presidential candidate, Dr Usman Bugaje, to run alongside Adewole Adebayo, it plans to use the grace period to regularise the upload of its candidates’ list to the INEC portal.

How A’Court barred INEC from recognising Mark-led ADC congresses

In a different stroke of fate, the Court of Appeal, Abuja, in a split 2-1 judgment, barred the INEC from recognising any state congresses or the national convention conducted by the David Mark-led caretaker leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

The appellate court also upheld the judgment of the Federal High Court restraining the Mark-led caretaker committee from interfering with the tenure and functions of the party’s duly elected state executives.

Delivering the lead judgment, Justice Okon Abang, who was supported by Justice Donatus Okorowo, held that there was no basis to set aside the April 29 judgment of the Federal High Court delivered by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik.

The court affirmed that the power to conduct state congresses resides exclusively with the party’s elected state executive committees, not the national caretaker leadership.

Justice Abba Mohammed, however, dissented, holding that the dispute bordered on the internal affairs of a political party and was therefore non-justiciable.

The appellate court further ruled that the congresses and national convention organised by the David Mark-led caretaker committee were null and void, having been conducted in defiance of a subsisting court order issued on April 14.

It dismissed Appeal No. CA/ABJ/CV/608/2026 filed by the ADC and awarded N10 million costs against the party.

The suit was instituted by aggrieved ADC members, including Don Norman Obinna, Johnny Tovie Derek, Obah C. Ehigiator, Olona Yinka, Charles Idowu Omideji, Samuel Pam Gyang and Obianyo Patrick, who challenged the caretaker committee’s decision to appoint committees to conduct state congresses.

The Court of Appeal agreed with the trial court that neither the Nigerian Constitution nor the ADC Constitution empowers a caretaker national working committee to appoint committees for state congresses.

It held that the tenure of the party’s elected state executive committees remains valid until properly constituted congresses are conducted in accordance with the party’s constitution.

Justice Abang stressed that once allegations involve constitutional or statutory violations, the courts are empowered to intervene, notwithstanding the general principle that internal party affairs are non-justiciable.

“Once a complaint before the court is anchored on a constitutional infraction, the shield of internal affairs drops and the veil is lifted for judicial intervention,” the court held.

The appellate court said its decision was necessary to prevent anarchy and safeguard Nigeria’s democratic process.

In the appeal, the ADC, Mark, and Aregbesola are challenging the decision of Joyce Abdulmalik, which prevented them from shortening the four-year tenure of the party’s state officers.

The state Chairmen of the ADC, represented by Don Norman Obinna, Johnny Tovie Derek, Obah C. Ehigiator, Olona Yinka, Dr Charles Idowu Omideji, Samuel Pam Gyang, and Obianyo Patrick, acting as plaintiffs, had sued for themselves and on behalf of all State Chairmen and State Executive Committees of the African Democratic Congress.

Listed as defendants in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/58/2026 are the African Democratic Congress; Senator David Mark; Senator Patricia Akwashiki; Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi; Rauf Aregbesola; Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor, who is also sued on behalf of the Caretaker/Interim National Working Committee; and the Independent National Electoral Commission.

In an originating summons filed with the Federal High Court, the ADC state chairmen sought a judicial interpretation of Constitutional provisions governing the tenure and powers of party organs, particularly regarding the party’s leadership and planned state congresses.

At the heart of their dispute was whether the four-year tenure of the ADC’s State Working Committee and State Executive Committee remains valid and subsisting, pending the conduct of a properly constituted State Congress and the convocation of a National Convention.

The plaintiffs had anchored their argument on Section 223 of the 1999 Constitution as well as Article 17 of the party’s constitution and a Final Mediation Report dated December 23, 2023.

The plaintiffs had contested the legality of actions taken by a body described as the “Caretaker/Interim National Working Committee,” which they claimed was not constitutionally recognised within the framework of the party.

Specifically, they had asked the high court to determine whether such a body has the authority to appoint Congress Committee Members for the purpose of conducting state congresses.

In addition, the state chairmen challenged the validity of any appointments made by the caretaker body, describing them as unconstitutional, null, and void.

The plaintiffs further contended that the planned state congress slated for April 2026, if conducted under the supervision of the said caretaker committee, would constitute a gross violation of the party’s constitution.

In her judgment, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik voided and set aside the plan of the David Mark leadership to dissolve the State Working Committee.

Apparently dissatisfied with the high court verdict, David Mark and others had approached the Court of Appeal praying it would set aside the judgment of the lower court on allegations of miscarriage of justice.

ADC heads to Supreme Court, says A’Court ruling won’t affect candidates

The African Democratic Congress yesterday said it has begun challenging the Court of Appeal’s judgment at the Supreme Court regarding its ward, local government and state congresses, insisting that the ruling has no effect on the emergence of its candidates for the 2027 general election.

In a statement following the appellate court’s judgment in Abuja, the party’s national publicity secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, described the verdict as “legally unsustainable” and said the party was confident the apex court would overturn it.

The ADC maintained that the judgment relates solely to the election of its ward, local government and state executive committees and does not invalidate the direct primaries through which its candidates emerged at all levels.

The party also drew attention to the dissenting judgment delivered by the presiding Justice, arguing that it more accurately reflected the settled position of the law and the party’s case.

The opposition party urged its members and supporters across the country to remain calm and focused despite the court ruling.

It reaffirmed its commitment to providing what it described as a credible alternative for Nigerians, pledging to continue pursuing its political objectives in accordance with the Constitution and the rule of law.

“We wish to assure members of the party and the general public that this judgement has no effect whatsoever on the direct primaries through which the party’s candidates emerged at all levels.”

Maintaining that the judgment is legally unsustainable, ADC noted that the dissenting judgement of the presiding justice “in our view, more accurately reflects the settled position of the law and the party’s position.”

“We urge our party members and the millions of our supporters to remain calm, confident and focused. The African Democratic Congress remains committed to the task of providing Nigerians with a credible alternative and will continue to pursue the mission in accordance with the constitution and the rule of law.”

ADC denies claims of unauthorised INEC nomination upload, alleges document forgery

The African Democratic Congress has dismissed as false claims that a group led by Alhaji Nafiu Bala Gombe uploaded the names of a presidential candidate and other nominees to the Independent National Electoral Commission nomination portal.

The party also alleged the forgery and unauthorised use of documents purportedly issued by INEC and called on the electoral body to investigate the matter and take appropriate action.

In a statement yesterday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the reports were intended to mislead the public and create confusion.

According to him, INEC does not issue nomination portal access or nomination codes to a leadership it does not recognise, nor does it issue multiple nomination codes to the same political party.

He argued that if such a process were possible, anyone could upload names to the portal and claim to be the legitimate leadership of a political party.

“The question, therefore, is straightforward: where is the evidence of this purported upload by a group of individuals not known by law or the electoral body?” the statement said.

The party said it was formally drawing INEC’s attention to what it described as the apparent forgery and unauthorised use of documents purportedly originating from the Commission in a manner capable of creating confusion and undermining public confidence in the electoral body.

It expressed confidence that INEC would investigate the matter and take the necessary steps to address what it described as a blatant misrepresentation.

The ADC urged the public to disregard the claims, insisting they were another attempt to create doubt and confusion among Nigerians. It added that it remained focused on offering Nigerians a credible political alternative ahead of the 2027 general election.

Atiku dismisses claims A’Court invalidated ADC primaries, urges calm

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has urged party members and millions of Nigerians yearning for genuine democratic change to remain calm, resolute and focused, stressing that contrary to the misleading narratives being aggressively circulated in some quarters, the Court of Appeal did not invalidate the ADC’s primary elections conducted for the nomination of candidates for the 2027 general elections.

In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku described the attempts to portray the judgment as the end of the ADC’s presidential ticket as nothing more than another chapter in the ongoing campaign of misinformation designed to demoralise the opposition and confuse Nigerians.

“Those celebrating today should celebrate with caution. Those attempting to sell false hope to their supporters should remember that political propaganda can never substitute for judicial pronouncements.

“The judgment being celebrated relates to the conduct of state congresses and the tenure of State Executive Committees. It does not, from the facts available, amount to a judicial nullification of the ADC’s primary elections conducted under the Electoral Act.

“There is a world of legal difference between the election of party executives through internal congresses and the nomination of candidates through statutory primary elections. They are distinct legal exercises, governed by different legal principles and serving different constitutional purposes. One should not be confused with the other.

“It is a settled principle of law that courts determine only the issues submitted before them. They neither manufacture disputes nor pronounce on matters that were never placed before them. Any attempt to stretch this judgment beyond its proper scope is an invitation to legal absurdity.

“Our opponents appear more eager to write judgments on social media than to read the one delivered by the Court of Appeal. Nigeria is governed by the rule of law, not by headlines, hashtags or the fantasies of political opportunists.

“We remain respectful of the judiciary and have already instructed our legal team to approach the Supreme Court for a definitive determination of the issues arising from the judgment. That is the proper constitutional path, and we have absolute confidence in the judicial process.

“Let no supporter of the ADC lose sleep. Let no Nigerian who believes in the restoration of our country be discouraged. The struggle to rescue Nigeria has never been about one courtroom or one judgment. It is a movement born out of the collective desire of millions of Nigerians for competent leadership, economic recovery, national unity and the restoration of hope.

“We therefore urge our members across the federation to remain calm, united and focused. Stay committed to the mission. Continue mobilising. Continue organising. Continue believing. No amount of legal gymnastics or political spin can extinguish the legitimate aspirations of Nigerians for a better country.

“The road to 2027 remains open, and the resolve of the Nigerian people cannot be overturned by propaganda. Our destination remains unchanged, and by the grace of God and the will of the Nigerian people, we shall arrive.”

Stakeholders fault INEC over ADC faction recognition, warn of threat to 2027 polls

Stakeholders have condemned INEC’s recognition of the Gombe ADC faction, even before the Appeal Court ruling, stressing that the development threatens the opposition coalition’s determination to participate in the 2027 general election.

Former South-West Vice Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Kamorudeen Ajisafe, described the situation as shocking and dangerous for Nigeria’s democracy.

“This is beyond comment. It is beyond saying anything about the unfolding situation. How can anyone seek to disqualify Atiku through the courts and INEC? Mark my words, INEC will still come after Peter Obi and the NDC,” he said.

Ajisafe urged the media to intensify scrutiny of what he described as attempts to suppress opposition parties ahead of the 2027 elections, suggesting that newspapers publish black mastheads with the headline, ‘Black Day for Democracy.’

For his part, Goddy Uwazurike, the immediate past President of Aka Ikenga, an Igbo think tank affiliated with Ohanaeze Ndigbo, warned that the controversy has placed INEC’s credibility under intense public scrutiny.

“The credibility of INEC is at minus zero. It did not come as a surprise to me, considering what the commission has been doing. There appears to be a conspiracy to undermine democracy, but I believe more court cases are still coming,” he said.

President of the Yoruba Ronu Leadership Forum, Akin Malaolu, also faulted the judgments arising from suits instituted by some state executives of the party.

“We are not in agreement with the majority judgment because the party’s internal dispute resolution mechanisms were not exhausted before the state executives approached the court. That crucial issue appears to have been overlooked,” he said.

Malaolu alleged that the judgments were intended to prevent Atiku Abubakar from contesting the 2027 presidential election, insisting that the ADC and its candidates should be allowed to participate in the polls.

“In the interest of peace and national stability, leaders across the country must rise to halt this dangerous drift. The ADC and its candidates deserve the opportunity to contest the 2027 elections. On this, we stand firmly,” he added.

A former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Bode George, also raised the alarm that barring leading opposition figures from contesting the 2027 elections poses a grave danger to the country.

Reacting to the development, George called on Nigerians to rise against the INEC Chairman and demand his removal. He also urged President Bola Tinubu to publicly address the situation if, indeed, the electoral commission was not acting on his directive in what he described as an onslaught against opposition figures.

In another reaction, elder statesman and convener of Igbo Dialogue Agenda, Dr Chekwas Okorie, urged the judiciary to ensure that it does not serve as the undertaker to bury Nigeria’s hard-won democracy.

Okorie recalled incidents in the Second Republic when the ruling National Party of Nigeria (NPN) used its federal might to rig the Ondo State governorship election, pointing out that it was the judiciary that saved the country from an ensuing inferno.

“The Supreme Court declared that the spirit of the law, which underscored Adekunle Ajasin’s victory, is superior to the letter of the law that pronounced Akin Omoboriowo as the winner of the governorship contest. So, I call on the Supreme Court to intervene once more as the court of last instance to save Nigeria’s democracy,” he stated.

Okorie implored the ruling APC and the judiciary to allow voters to resolve the crucial issue of who should lead the country as enunciated in the periodic democratic elections, stressing that removing ADC and its candidates after they had emerged could be interpreted differently by the citizens. (The Guardian)

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