A chieftain of the All Democratic Alliance (ADA), Ahidjo Ibrahim Karlahi, has instituted a lawsuit against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a political party.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1115/2026, was filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja on June 2, 2026, with the NDC joined as the second respondent.
Karlahi, who is also a director in the ADA, is asking the court to determine whether INEC is legally bound to ensure strict compliance with the Constitution, the Electoral Act, and its own guidelines in the registration of political parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He further queried whether the commission failed in its statutory duty by allegedly registering the NDC “in total disregard” of established legal requirements.
The plaintiff also asked the court to interrogate the legality of INEC’s decision, arguing that the court should compel the commission to uphold the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Electoral Act 2022, and the Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties Registration.
Karlahi is seeking a declaration that the registration of the NDC is “unconstitutional, wrongful, null and void,” alleging non-compliance with due process.
He is also asking for an order compelling the NDC to surrender its certificate of registration, which he wants the court to cancel, revoke, or withdraw.
In addition, he seeks a perpetual injunction restraining INEC from recognising or treating the NDC as a registered political party, and also restraining the party from presenting itself as such in any form of communication or activity.
In a statement following the filing, Karlahi said the NDC was not among the associations prequalified for the 2025 party registration exercise, alleging that it bypassed mandatory procedures.
In September 2025, INEC announced that 14 associations were cleared for consideration in the party registration process, but the NDC was not included.
By October 30, 2025, the commission said eight of the 14 prequalified associations successfully completed the initial documentation stage.
Those listed included the All Democratic Alliance (ADA), Citizens Democratic Alliance (CDA), Abundance Social Party (ASP), African Alliance Party (AAP), Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA), Green Future Party (GFP), National Democratic Party (NDP), and Peoples Freedom Party (PFP).
On February 5, 2026, INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan stated that only two of the eight associations advanced to the final verification stage, adding that only the Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA) met all legal requirements and was registered.
However, the NDC was later registered by INEC, a development the commission linked to a subsisting court order.
ADA chieftain Umar Ardo has since criticised the decision, alleging procedural irregularities and insisting that the association would challenge a Federal High Court judgment in Lokoja which reportedly ordered INEC to register the NDC.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
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