Legal experts and political rights advocates have warned that persistent leadership crises within Nigeria’s political parties, coupled with growing reliance on the judiciary to resolve electoral disputes, pose serious threats to party cohesion, electoral credibility and democratic consolidation ahead of the 2027 general elections.

An Abuja-based Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Usman Sule, described political parties as the cornerstone of the electoral process, stressing that weak or disputed party leadership structures often undermine participation in elections.

“Election is a process, and the most crucial organ of any political party is its leadership,” Sule said. “Once the party executive is weak or factionalised, the entire political structure is affected.”
Leadership failure at the centre, he said, weakens the party and may even prevent it from presenting candidates for elections.

According to him, unresolved disagreements over party executives frequently result in factionalisation, thereby denying parties the organisational coherence required to effectively participate in the general electoral process.
Sule noted that while political parties enjoy autonomy over their internal affairs, such autonomy is not absolute, especially where parties violate their own constitutions.

“Political parties are expected to comply with the Nigerian Constitution, their own constitutions and established guidelines,” he said. “The judiciary only intervenes when it becomes clear that a party has breached its internal rules or failed to discharge its functions in line with its constitution.”

He explained that courts generally refrain from adjudicating internal party disputes unless they fall within the scope of justiciable matters, citing the Supreme Court’s decision in APC v. Moses (2021), which reaffirmed the principle that internal party affairs are largely non-justiciable.

“The courts have consistently held that political parties are supreme over their internal affairs,” Sule said. “Once individuals freely submit themselves to the rules of a party, courts will not interfere unless there is a clear violation of the party’s constitution.”

Similarly, Lagos-based lawyer, Dr Yemi Omodele, blamed Nigeria’s persistent party crises on greed, elite domination and the desperation to retain power at all costs.

“Nigeria still operates with a colonial mentality in politics,” Omodele said. “Disagreements should ordinarily strengthen democracy, but in Nigeria, party conflicts are driven largely by greed and the determination of political elites to remain in power indefinitely.”

He lamented the growing tendency of politicians to weaponise the judiciary by filing multiple suits across different judicial divisions to gain an advantage.

“Ordinarily, it is the electorate that should determine who governs. But when elections consistently end in litigation, courts are compelled to determine winners, often contrary to popular expectations. This discourages voter participation and deepens public cynicism,” he said.

Omodele warned that unresolved internal crises could significantly affect some political parties’ fortunes in 2027, urging parties to urgently restrategise or risk electoral failure.
Human rights activist, Mr Kabir Akingbolu, also identified party executive positions as flashpoints of conflict, noting that control of party structures translates into control over elective and appointive offices.

“Party executives control access to power. That is why politicians struggle desperately to occupy those positions. When they fail, they often resort to litigation to frustrate the system,” Akingbolu said.

He argued that excessive court intervention in party affairs is a symptom of internal democratic failure rather than judicial overreach.

Akingbolu warned that prolonged litigation distracts parties from mobilisation, fractures loyalty among members and drives defections, often weakening parties ahead of elections.
He said, “When factions emerge, members become confused and disillusioned.

“Some aspirants are forced to seek platforms elsewhere, taking their supporters along. This is a huge loss for any party.”

He stressed that internal crises not only undermine party stability but also leave voters stranded.
The lawyers agreed that strengthening internal democracy, enforcing party discipline and respecting party constitutions are critical to reducing litigation, restoring public confidence and safeguarding Nigeria’s democratic future.