A senior figure in the All Democratic Alliance (ADA) has declared he will go to court to invalidate the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), saying the party’s recognition by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was tainted by procedural irregularities and judicial shortcuts.
Dr. Umar Ardo, a leading promoter of the ADA, made the announcement on Trust TV, extending his legal threat beyond the NDC to any other association that secured registration without fully meeting statutory requirements. His party is one of 171 associations that applied to INEC for registration ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In February 2026, INEC registered only two new parties. Its chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, said the Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA) qualified on its own merits, while the NDC was admitted on the back of a court order a distinction that has become the crux of Ardo’s objection.
Ardo argued that the NDC never submitted a proper application or underwent the official screening process.
“The Nigerian Democratic Congress obtained registration without properly applying,” he said.
“It did not meet the requirements set by law or INEC guidelines.”
The ADA promoter claimed his own party had done everything right paid the required fees, submitted complete documentation, and advanced to the verification stage before being denied.
He said the contrast between ADA’s treatment and the speed of the NDC’s court victory raises troubling questions about fairness.
INEC assessed all applicants against Sections 222 and 223 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Sections 75 and 79 of the Electoral Act 2022, and its own Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties.
Ardo insists the NDC cleared none of those hurdles through legitimate means.
“We are appealing the process,” he said.
“The NDC did not present the required documents before the court, yet judgment was given in its favour. We will proceed on appeal.”
He also questioned why the NDC’s case moved rapidly through the courts while ADA’s own legal filings lagged a disparity he described as damaging to confidence in electoral institutions.
Dismissing any suggestion that his campaign is politically motivated, Ardo framed the matter as a long-standing commitment to legal principle.
He warned that allowing parties to enter the system through procedural back doors undermines public trust in elections, and pledged that the ADA would keep pressing its case until the courts provided a definitive answer.
