Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A chieftain of the All Democratic Alliance (ADA), Hon. Ahidjo Ibrahim Karlahi, has dragged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking the withdrawal and cancellation of the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a political party. The NDC is listed as the second respondent in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1115/2026, filed on June 2, 2026.
In the originating summons filed on his behalf by Senior Advocate of Nigeria Bankole Joel Akomolafe, Karlahi asked the court to determine whether INEC is under obligation to ensure compliance with constitutional provisions, statutes, and guidelines guiding the registration of new political parties entitled to participate in the 2027 general elections. He also asked the court to determine whether INEC has gravely failed to ensure compliance when it registered the NDC in total disregard of these provisions .
Karlahi alleged that the NDC bypassed every mandatory step in the registration process. He argued that the party was not listed among the prequalified associations for formal application in the 2025 political parties registration exercise, did not pay the mandatory N2 million administrative fee, did not access INEC’s dedicated Political Party Registration Portal, did not fill the mandatory Form EC15A, and was not listed among the prequalified political associations published by INEC as having applied .
“These are not mere allegations – they are matters of public record,” Karlahi said in a statement after filing the suit. He maintained that the action was instituted in his personal capacity and not on behalf of any political association, including the ADA. “This suit is instituted solely by me as a citizen to advance constitutionalism, the rule of law and electoral integrity in our democracy. It is not directed against any individual or group of persons,” he explained .
The plaintiff is praying the court to declare the registration and continuing recognition of the NDC as unconstitutional, illegal, unlawful, null and void. He is seeking an order directing INEC to withdraw and set aside the party’s certificate of registration, as well as perpetual injunctions restraining INEC from further recognizing the NDC and restraining the NDC from presenting itself as a registered political party .
The legal challenge, which has been assigned to Justice Mohammed Umar of Court 5, came after the NDC held its maiden national convention in Abuja where it unveiled former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi as its presidential candidate for the 2027 elections. The national leader and founder of the NDC, former Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson, had earlier declared that there was no pending litigation or appeal challenging the party’s registration .
According to reports, INEC had earlier stated that only the Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA) met all legal conditions for registration, but the commission also registered the NDC in compliance with a judgment of the Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja, Kogi State, which ordered the registration . The registration brought the total number of registered political parties in Nigeria to 21 .
When contacted on the recent suit, senior officials from the commission said INEC will respond in due time as it is too early to comment . No date has yet been fixed for the hearing of the case .
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