Supporters of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) took to the streets of Abuja on Thursday in a show of defiance against perceived interference by prominent opposition figures. Led by factional National Chairman Nafiu Bala, the protesters carried placards with messages such as "Woe to Political Marauders" and "Hon. Nafiu Bala, We Stand With You." They directed their anger at Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, and David Mark, accusing them of attempting to hijack the party. Bala declared there would be no tolerance for external meddling in ADC's internal affairs. He was joined by ADC House of Representatives member Leke Abejide and other party loyalists who marched across the Federal Capital Territory. The demonstration served as a direct response to an earlier rally held by a rival ADC faction at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters. The two competing factions have intensified their struggle for control of the party, drawing attention from political observers. Meanwhile, the Court of Appeal in Abuja delivered a significant judgment on March 27, 2026, in a leadership dispute within the Social Democratic Party (SDP). A three-member panel comprising Justices Abba Bello Mohammed, Eberechi Suzzette Nyesom-Wike, and Oyejoju Oyebiola Oyewumi set aside a Federal High Court ruling that had affirmed Dr. Sadiq Umar Abubakar Gombe as SDP National Chairman. The Appeal Court held that the lower court lacked jurisdiction to rule on the matter. While it confirmed the appellant Fayemi Tosin Babatunde was not a candidate in the November 8, 2025, primary, it nullified the validation of Gombe's leadership and the legitimacy of the primary. The court also declared that SDP has no valid gubernatorial candidate for Ekiti State. This followed evidence from INEC's monitoring report (Exhibit INEC 3), which confirmed Engineer Bankole David Oludele emerged as the actual winner at the approved primary venue.
Nafiu Bala's protest in Abuja is less about principle and more about survival in a party where control means access to political relevance and resources. By publicly naming Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rabiu Kwankwaso, and David Mark as threats, Bala is framing a power struggle as an act of resistance, even though his own legitimacy within the ADC is contested. The protest, complete with choreographed slogans and visible lawmakers like Leke Abejide, reveals how factional leaders use public displays to manufacture legitimacy when institutional processes fail them.
Behind the placards and court filings lies a deeper rot: Nigerian political parties are less ideological platforms than battlegrounds for personal ambition. The ADC's street showdown and the SDP's judicial reversal both expose how internal democracy is routinely sacrificed at the altar of influence. The Court of Appeal's decision to void Dr. Sadiq Gombe's recognition — despite INEC's confirmation of a valid primary that produced Engineer Bankole David Oludele — underscores how legal technicalities can override electoral reality. When courts overturn processes validated by the electoral body, it doesn't clarify leadership; it deepens confusion.
Ordinary ADC and SDP supporters now face a crisis of representation. Party members who participated in primaries or backed specific leaders are left stranded when courts or street protests erase those outcomes. In Ekiti State, SDP voters may be denied a candidate in the gubernatorial race not because of fraud or disunity among them, but because a legal technicality removed the court's jurisdiction. This erodes trust in both party structures and the judiciary.
This pattern repeats across Nigeria's political landscape: parties fracture, courts intervene, and voters pay the price. The ADC and SDP dramas are not outliers but reflections of a system where loyalty is transactional, leadership is contested through multiple arenas, and the final arbiter is often not the electorate but power brokers and judges.
