Nothing decided on ADC; PDP faction wiped out, SAN speaks on Supreme Court rulings

Oba Maduabuchi, a senior advocate of Nigeria, has offered an interpretation of the Thursday rulings by the Supreme Court of Nigeria on the leadership crises rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC), declaring that while the PDP dispute has been largely settled, “nothing has been decided” in the ADC case.

Speaking in an interview on Arise News on Friday, Maduabuchi said the apex court’s judgment effectively “obliterated” the faction loyal to Senator Samuel Anyanwu within the PDP, stressing that the ruling settled the question of who constitutes the legitimate leadership bloc in the party.

According to him, “the Supreme Court has pointed it… you are not members of the party, you don’t have a right to speak for the party,” adding that actions taken by the faction, including correspondence and financial dealings, have no legal standing.

He explained that although the court nullified the Ibadan convention that produced the Tanimu Turaki-led leadership, it did not invalidate the PDP as a political entity. Rather, he said the party reverts to its previously recognised structure.

“It is Turaki as a leader… that were dissolved. But the PDP as a party… is still intact,” he said, noting that the authentic structure traces back to the pre-convention leadership.

On the ADC, however, the senior lawyer maintained that the Supreme Court did not resolve the leadership tussle, but only corrected what he described as an overreach by the Court of Appeal.

“That main point… that the Court of Appeal did not have the powers… to make an order not sought by any of the parties, was properly made by the Supreme Court,” he said.

He added, “people are celebrating… nothing has been decided,” stressing that the substantive dispute over leadership remains before the Federal High Court.

Maduabuchi also defended the role of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), arguing that its earlier actions were consistent with the appellate court’s directive to maintain the status quo ante bellum.

He advised the ADC to prioritise political settlement over prolonged litigation, warning that internal disputes could weaken the party’s ability to compete effectively.