A legal practitioner, Mr John Okoli-Akirika has decried the Supreme Court’s Wednesday’s deferment of ruling on the leadership crisis rocking the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Okoli-Akirika made this known to newsmen while reacting to the apex Court’s deferment of ruling over the leadership issues affecting the two political parties, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“Apart from the impact on the judiciary, the Federal High Court will also have to await the outcome of the Supreme Court ruling which as it stands has no definite time frame.
“What the Supreme Court did on Wednesday will have multiplier effect on the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“This is because it has put on hold the trial pending before the Federal High Court, which adjourned its ruling on the on the same matter, pending the outcome of the Supreme Court’s ruling on the matter.
“Then the Supreme Court adjourned its ruling till further notice, pending.
“What happened on Wednesday was a subtle way to keep the country in a suspended animation,” he said.
He noted that a combination of all the factors no doubt imposes a duty on the apex Court to deliver it’s ruling on the matter timely, considering the surrounding and peculiar circumstances.
The legal practitioner urged the apex Court to consider the nature of its judgement that are binding on all persons and authorities in Nigeria, pursuant to section 287 subsection 1 of the 1999 constitution and expedite ruling on the ADC and PDP matter before it.
He averred that the Supreme Court ought to have delivered a bench ruling, which the law permits it to do or give a judgement and then adjourn to a later date to give further reasons for it’s decision.
The Delay Might Heat Up the Polity
According to him, considering the antecedents and peculiar circumstances of the cases, the reservation of judgement may contribute in heating up the polity bearing in mind that so far, the ADC and PDP appear to be the only visible and available alternative opposition to what is happening in Nigeria.
A five-member panel of the apex court, led by Justice Mohammed Garba, announced on Wednesday that a date for judgment would be communicated to counsel after parties adopted their written briefs and presented final arguments.
Garba stated that lawyers representing all sides would be duly notified once the Court reaches a decision.
The appeal filed by a factional National Chairman of the ADC, Nafiu Gombe is challenging the David Mark led faction over the March 12 judgement of the Court of Appeal, which dismissed his earlier appeal.
The appeal had sought to overturn the September 4, 2025 ruling of Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which refused to grant certain injunctive reliefs sought in an ex-parte application filed by Gombe.
In the PDP matter, the appeal was filed by the Kabiru Turaki led faction, challenging the nullification of the party’s 2025 national convention.
A five member panel of the Supreme Court, led by Justice Lawal Garba, announced that the date for judgement would be communicated to all parties, after counsel adopted their final written addresses.
The Turaki faction is seeking to overturn the March 9 judgement of the Court of Appeal, which affirmed earlier decisions invalidating the party’s Ibadan convention, held on November 15 and 16, 2025.
