Why ADA Wants INEC To Deregister NDC — Legal Fight Begins

The protem Director of Organisation of the All Democratic Alliance (ADA), Ahidjo Karlahi, has filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja seeking the deregistration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The case, filed on Tuesday and marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1115/2026, has been assigned to Justice Mohammed Umar. INEC and the NDC are listed as the first and second defendants respectively.

NDC’s national leader and founder, Senator Seriake Dickson, had earlier stated that the party had no pending legal challenges to its registration. Speaking at the party’s inaugural national convention in Abuja, he maintained that the NDC is duly registered, legally recognised, and united ahead of the 2027 general elections.

However, in his originating summons, Karlahi argued that the NDC failed to meet the constitutional and statutory requirements necessary for registration as a political party.

He contended that the party did not comply with provisions outlined in Sections 221 to 225A of the 1999 Constitution, as well as Sections 75 and 79 of the Electoral Act, 2022.

According to him, the NDC was not included among the prequalified associations in the 2025 political party registration exercise.

Karlahi further alleged that the party neither paid the required ₦2,000,000 administrative fee nor obtained access codes to INEC’s application portal. He also claimed that the NDC did not access the commission’s political party registration portal or complete Form EC15A, which he described as the only valid application procedure.

He maintained that the party was not listed among associations that formally applied for registration, insisting that these claims are based on public records.

The applicant is therefore asking the court to declare INEC’s continued recognition of the NDC unconstitutional, illegal, and null and void.

He further urged the court to nullify the party’s certificate of registration, compel INEC to remove the NDC from its official register, and restrain the commission from engaging with it as a political party.

Karlahi emphasized that the suit was filed in his personal capacity as a Nigerian citizen and not on behalf of the ADA or any group.

He said the action was motivated by a desire to strengthen constitutional governance and protect the integrity of the electoral process, not by political or personal interests.

According to him, electoral integrity is fundamental to democracy, warning that any compromise in the party registration process could undermine the entire system.

Karlahi called on Nigerians to follow the proceedings with patience, stressing that the judiciary remains the last hope of the common man and the ultimate guardian of the Constitution.

He also urged the media, civil society organizations, and the public to view the case not as a partisan dispute, but as an important test of constitutional compliance in Nigeria’s democracy.