The Supreme Court of Nigeria will on Tuesday hear three appeals stemming from ongoing leadership disputes within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Two of the appeals were filed by a faction of the PDP led by Kabiru Turaki, while the third was instituted by former Senate President David Mark.
The PDP faction is challenging earlier rulings that barred the party from conducting its planned national convention until it complies with provisions of the Electoral Act and internal party regulations. The decisions were upheld by the Court of Appeal after originating from judgments of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
One of the cases arose from a suit filed by aggrieved party members, including Austine Nwachukwu, which questioned the legality of the convention process. Another suit, filed by former Jigawa State governor Sule Lamido, argued that he was denied the opportunity to contest for the party’s chairmanship position.
Meanwhile, David Mark is contesting a separate Court of Appeal ruling that dismissed his earlier appeal in the ADC leadership tussle. The appellate court had held that his case was incompetent and not grounded in the original trial court decision.
The outcome of the Supreme Court hearings is expected to shape the leadership structure and internal processes of both parties ahead of future political activities.
