The end of party membership registration is by virtue of INEC deadline a few days away, and every additional day of court ambiguity reduces the course of democratic space, and apparently corrodes fair participation in the political process.
It is on this note that one wonders who is served by the delayed Reserved judgement of our Supreme Court concerning crucial leadership challenges affecting Nigeria’s main opposition parties, specifically the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
It is not abnormal that the Court heard and reserved judgment in both cases, however it is worrisome that the judgement reserved now appears to wear the toga of justice delayed .
It is more so for an ADC that has been sanctioned by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and put at extreme risk in the run-up to pivotal elections.
The action taken by INEC is not a speculative hazard to ADC, it indeed poses a palpable reality of emergency .
The chaotic political situation within the PDP only magnifies this emergency amidst competing claims to the leadership, and judicial indecisions. It cannot be overstated that the uncertainty poses a fatal threat to true democracy.
The Court no doubt, works within the framework stipulated in Section 285 of the 1999 Constitution as amended; nonetheless, prompt decision-making rises to the level of a constitutional obligation, rather than an arbitrary choice where it directly affects the capacity of parties to build structures, nominate candidates and ultimately participate in elections .
Confusion replaces conviction when conscience gives way to convenience.
Hence William Ewart Gladstone noted during his address of the House of Commons on the 16th March, 1868 that “justice delayed is justice denied”. Effectually, John F. Kennedy highlighted the imperative of timely justice delivery in a democratic setting when he captured that “justice delayed is democracy denied”.
The responsibility of Judiciary in defending the democratic order makes it exigent that it operates not just with technical adherence, but also with decisive clarity and timely precision to avert potentially disastrous constitutional and political crises.
Ignorance prevails where justice is delayed, poverty is enforced where neither life nor property is safe, and even where judgement is just, it loses value in the eyes of a public who sees delay as an organised conspiracy to oppress, rob, and degrade people.
The Latin maxim is core that _”in deiem vivere in lege sunt detestabilis”_ thus sums it that “delays in the law are hateful”.
In conclusion, I passionately appeal to the Supreme Court in no uncertain terms to expedite actions in delivering judgments in these critical leadership disputes.
The country cannot endure drawn-out uncertainty as the opposition cannot survive in an empty space. Nigerians are entitled to a process whereby justice is not merely served, but promptly served to maintain the integrity of their democratic structures.
Posterity will remember both the outcome of these cases, as well as how quickly justice was dispensed.
Now is the time for swift action.
Signed:
Mazi Nnamdi Dickson
Aspirant, House of Representatives
Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala Federal Constituency – African Democratic Congress (ADC)
29th April, 2026
