Nigeria’s opposition political parties are facing mounting uncertainty as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) closes its extended window for the submission of candidates for the 2027 general elections, amid leadership crises, legal disputes and conflicting court rulings.
The confusion intensified on Monday after the Court of Appeal in Abuja upheld a Federal High Court order restraining INEC from accepting any submissions or official correspondence from the David Mark-led National Working Committee (NWC) of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Political analysts and stakeholders have warned that the growing legal battles and internal divisions across several opposition parties could weaken public confidence in the credibility of the 2027 general elections.
INEC Deadline Ends Today
INEC had extended the deadline for political parties to upload the names of their candidates from July 11 to July 14, 2026, following complaints of technical challenges experienced during the nomination process.
The electoral commission said all political parties have until midnight on Tuesday to complete the upload of their presidential, Senate and House of Representatives candidates.
According to INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, the extension followed appeals from the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), which sought additional time for affected political parties.
Haruna urged all parties to utilise the extension and ensure all candidate information is successfully submitted before the deadline expires.
Court Upholds Restriction on Mark-Led ADC Leadership
In a split 2-1 judgment, the Court of Appeal affirmed an earlier ruling of the Federal High Court that bars INEC from recognising state congresses and the national convention conducted by the David Mark-led caretaker leadership of the ADC.
The appellate court also upheld the lower court’s decision restraining the caretaker committee from interfering with the powers and tenure of the party’s duly elected state executives.
Justice Okon Abang, who delivered the lead judgment and was supported by Justice Donatus Okorowo, ruled that the authority to conduct state congresses rests solely with the party’s elected state executive committees rather than the national caretaker leadership.
Justice Abba Mohammed dissented, arguing that the matter concerns the internal affairs of a political party and should not be decided by the courts.
The court further declared the state congresses and national convention organised by the caretaker committee null and void, holding that they were conducted in violation of an existing court order issued on April 14.
ADC Heads to Supreme Court
Despite the appellate court ruling, the ADC leadership has maintained that the judgment does not invalidate its candidates or its nomination process.
Party officials disclosed that they are heading to the Supreme Court to challenge the decision, insisting that the ruling should not affect candidates already produced by the party.
The ADC also rejected reports suggesting that rival factions had uploaded separate candidate lists to the INEC portal, alleging that documents circulating online purporting to show parallel nominations were forged.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar also appealed for calm among party members and supporters, insisting that the court judgment did not invalidate the party’s primary elections.
SDP Moves to Finalise Candidate Upload
Meanwhile, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) said it has resolved its internal leadership crisis and is using the extension granted by INEC to regularise the upload of its candidates.
The party confirmed that Dr. Usman Bugaje has emerged as its vice-presidential candidate to run alongside its presidential flag bearer, Adewole Adebayo.
More Parties Face Legal Challenges
Several political parties are still battling legal disputes that could affect their participation in the 2027 elections.
Among those facing ongoing litigation over their status are the Action Alliance (AA), African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party, Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) and the African Action Congress (AAC).
Stakeholders have also criticised INEC’s handling of internal disputes involving some political parties, including factional issues in Gombe State, warning that unresolved conflicts and prolonged litigation could pose serious challenges to Nigeria’s democratic process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
With the nomination portal scheduled to close at midnight today, attention now shifts to whether affected political parties will meet the deadline and how pending court cases will shape the final list of candidates for the 2027 elections.
