Legal practitioner and political analyst, Liborous Oshoma, has raised concerns that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) may be heading into a prolonged legal crisis that could distract it right up to the 2027 general elections.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday, Oshoma warned that the party’s internal disputes could drag through the courts and potentially reach the Supreme Court, leaving it preoccupied with legal battles at a critical moment.
He said the situation, if not urgently addressed, could seriously undermine the party’s chances of proper preparation ahead of the elections.
According to him, “They need to make haste. If they do not make haste, then certainly it might become difficult for them… to even put their house in order.”
Oshoma further cautioned that the ongoing wave of court cases involving the party’s leadership could keep the ADC “busy in Abuja at the Supreme Court until a few days before the election,” warning that such a delay could leave the party unprepared and disorganised.
He also noted that prolonged uncertainty within the party could discourage voter participation, adding that instability within political parties ultimately affects democratic engagement.
Despite his concerns, Oshoma acknowledged that the presence of high-profile politicians such as Peter Obi, Nasir El-Rufai, Rauf Aregbesola, and Atiku Abubakar in the political space should ordinarily help the party navigate its challenges if properly managed.
On the issue of judicial involvement in party affairs, the legal expert dismissed the argument that courts should not interfere, insisting that intervention becomes necessary when there are allegations of constitutional breaches.
His comments come against the backdrop of a recent Federal High Court ruling in Abuja, which restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising or participating in any ADC congresses organised by the party’s disputed leadership.
The court also barred former Senate President David Mark and other members of the interim leadership from interfering in the tenure of elected state executives, holding that only duly elected structures within the party have the authority to conduct congresses.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik ruled that the tenure of existing state executives remains valid until properly conducted congresses are held in line with the party’s constitution.
The ADC continues to face a deepening leadership crisis, with rival factions laying claim to control of the party. The matter is expected to be finally determined by the Supreme Court on April 30, 2026, a ruling that could define the party’s direction ahead of the next election cycle.
