The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has appealed to the Supreme Court for an accelerated judgment in a crucial appeal, warning that any further delay could threaten its participation in the 2027 general elections.
In a letter dated April 28, 2026, and addressed to the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), the party, through its counsel, S. E. Aruwa, SAN & Co., expressed concern over the implications of the pending judgment in Suit No: SC/CV/180/2026 involving Senator David Mark and other parties.
The legal team noted that the appeal was heard on April 22, 2026, and judgment reserved for a later date yet to be communicated by the apex court.
According to the correspondence, recent actions allegedly taken by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), following a lower court ruling, have created uncertainty around the party’s leadership structure and operational status despite ADC remaining a registered political party.
“My Lord, this appeal was graciously heard expeditiously on the 22nd April, 2026 and judgment was thereafter reserved to a date to be communicated by the court,” the letter stated.
The party argued that with the electoral timetable for the 2027 elections already released, an urgent resolution of the leadership dispute has become critical to its ability to meet statutory requirements for participation in the polls.
“My Lord, the ADC’s ability to comply with these statutory requirements to participate in the 2027 General Elections is wholly dependent on the timely delivery of the judgment in the instant Appeal,” the counsel added.
The ADC warned that failure to deliver judgment within days could leave the party unable to effectively prepare for major electoral processes.
“Without the delivery of judgment within the next three days from the date of this letter, the ADC stands the grave and irreversible risk of being excluded from participating in the 2027 General Elections,” the letter read.
The party further argued that such a development would have wider democratic implications, affecting millions of its members and supporters nationwide.
“This would disenfranchise millions of Nigerians who have subscribed to the ideals of the ADC and deny them their constitutional right to freely associate and contest elections through a political party of their choice,” it stated.
While acknowledging the heavy workload of the Supreme Court, the party urged the apex court to intervene swiftly in the interest of justice and democratic participation.
“We are mindful of the enormous responsibilities and workload of this Honourable Court. We are equally aware that justice delayed, in this peculiar circumstance, would amount to justice denied,” the counsel concluded.
The Supreme Court’s eventual ruling is expected to determine the party’s legal standing and readiness ahead of the 2027 electoral process.
