Nigeria's two main opposition parties are tearing themselves apart just months before next year's general elections.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) were supposed to be the ones to finally challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). But internal crises — court cases, disputed primaries, and leadership fights — have left both parties in disarray.

Atiku Abubakar of the ADC and Peter Obi of the NDC are the big names carrying opposition hopes. In 2023, running on different platforms, they together pulled more votes than President Bola Tinubu. But that was then. Now, their parties are struggling to stay united.

Court cases and factional wars

The ADC entered 2026 with momentum from a coalition built around veterans like Atiku, former Senate President David Mark, and ex-Osun Governor Rauf Aregbesola. But the coalition fractured when Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso left for the newly formed NDC.

Since then, the ADC has been in court almost non-stop. INEC temporarily removed Mark and Aregbesola from its portal after Appeal Court orders earlier this year. The Supreme Court later reinstated them. On Monday, a Federal High Court judge ordered INEC to deregister the ADC and three other parties, claiming they no longer meet registration requirements. The ADC says it'll appeal.

The party's presidential primary in late May produced Atiku as candidate, but former Rivers Governor Rotimi Amaechi and another aspirant rejected the result, alleging widespread disenfranchisement. On Monday, the ADC named Amaechi as its vice presidential candidate — a move that may calm things down, but it doesn't solve the deeper problems.

Governorship primaries in Rivers, Oyo, Akwa Ibom, Kaduna, Kano, Benue, and Adamawa have sparked rival candidate claims and threats of litigation. In Rivers, Amaechi's home state, two factions each claim their own candidate. About three weeks after the primaries, the party still hasn't released its official candidate list.

“We have time, and we'll do the needful once this process is over,” the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, told reporters.

But time is running out. Every week spent fighting internal battles is a week not spent campaigning against the APC. Resources meant for rallies and voter outreach are going to lawyers and court filings.

NDC: New party, old problems

The NDC was registered in February 2026 and quickly became the home for high-profile defectors. Peter Obi emerged unopposed as presidential candidate, with Kwankwaso as running mate. Primaries ended in late May.

But the party is already facing complaints of irregularities in many states. And a bigger fight has broken out with the Obidient Movement — the grassroots network that powered Obi's 2023 campaign. Many Obidients feel sidelined in appointments and say prominent supporters like activist Aisha Yesufu have been mistreated.

The tension exploded when NDC founder and national leader Seriake Dickson publicly criticised the group. Dickson, a former Bayelsa governor, said the party was doing Obi a favour and should be respected. He later met Obi on June 12 and announced they'd “amicably resolved all the issues.” He urged members to “stop the bickering and name-calling” and focus on 2027.

Dickson has blamed the Electoral Act's mandatory direct primaries for many of the irregularities. He insists the NDC is more than just a vehicle for big names.

But converting that claim into a unified, battle-ready party will take more than a press release. With the APC already campaigning and both opposition parties still sorting out their own houses, the road to 2027 looks steep.