Judgment Sparks Political Buzz As Court Orders INEC To Approve New Party

The Federal High Court in Abuja has directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register and formally recognize the Citizens Democratic Alliance (CDA) as a political party.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Justice Obiora Egwuatu issued the order on Tuesday while delivering judgment in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2787/25, filed by Tamunotonye Samuel Solomon Inioribo and two others against the electoral commission.

In his ruling, the judge ordered INEC to issue the CDA with a certificate of registration within seven days.

The development follows a lengthy registration process that began in October 2025, when INEC announced that eight associations, including the CDA, had successfully completed the submission of the required information and documentation needed to qualify for registration as political parties.

The associations included the Citizens Democratic Alliance (CDA), All Democratic Alliance (ADA), 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).

At the time, INEC stated that the groups would advance to the next phase of the process, which involved detailed assessment and verification of their submissions.

However, in December 2025, the commission informed the CDA that its application for registration had been unsuccessful.

Subsequently, on February 5, 2026, INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan announced that only two of the eight associations had progressed to the final stage of compliance verification under the Constitution and the Electoral Act.

According to Amupitan, only the Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA) ultimately satisfied all legal requirements and was granted registration by the commission.

The commission later registered the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), despite the group not being among the associations initially listed as pre-qualified applicants.

Dissatisfied with INEC’s decision, the CDA and its promoters approached the court, arguing that the association had fulfilled all constitutional and statutory requirements for registration and was unfairly denied recognition.

After reviewing the matter, the court agreed with the claimants and held that the CDA had met the necessary conditions for registration.

Justice Egwuatu consequently ordered INEC to register the association as a political party and issue its certificate of registration ahead of preparations for the 2027 general elections.