Breaking: Worried over Possible Exclusion from 2027 Elections, ADC Begs Supreme Court to Deliver Judgment Before Friday

Alex Enumah in Abuja

The African Democratic Congress (ADC), on Tuesday, pleaded with the Supreme Court of Nigeria, to deliver its judgment in the appeal surrounding the party’s leadership within the next three days.

The ADC in a letter to the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), claimed that failure of the apex court to deliver judgment within the above pleaded period, would jeopardize the chances of the party in the 2027 general elections, as well as dash the hope of millions of Nigerians intending to vote for the ADC and its candidates at the general election slated for early January, next year.

In the letter dated April 28, the party’s lead counsel, Mr Shuaibu Aruwa, SAN, recalled that the apex court “graciously heard expeditiously on April 22, 2026 and judgment was thereafter reserved to a date to be communicated by the court”.

Aruwa stated however, that they are “most respectfully constrained to request for the CJN’s kind intervention and directive in ensuring that the judgment is rendered timeously”, on grounds that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), who is the 4th Respondent in the said Appeal purportedly, acting pursuant to the judgment of the lower court in Appeal No: CA/ABJ/145/2026, has removed or de-recognized the leadership of the ADC.

The senior lawyer submitted that the action of INEC has left the ADC without leadership at the moment even though the ADC remains a recognized registered political party in Nigeria.

In addition, the ADC drew the attention of the CJN to INEC’s Timetable for the 2027 general elections and the activities in readiness which it claimed have already commenced.

“Your Lordships would find attached copies of the INEC Press Release de-recognizing the leadership of ADC and the Revised INEC Timetable for the 2027 General Elections.

“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. 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. 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.

“My Lord, 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 entire political future of our client and the legitimate expectations of its members nationwide now hangs in the balance”, the letter read in part.