An aggrieved political association, the All Democratic Alliance (ADA), alongside its Protem Director of Mobilization, Ahidjo Ibrahim Karlahi, has dragged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before a Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking an order to compel the electoral body to withdraw the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a political party in Nigeria.
The grievances of ADA and Karlahi stem from allegations that the Senator Seriake Dickson-led NDC was illegally and fraudulently registered by INEC to participate in the country’s elections.
In the suit, numbered FHC/ABJ/CS/1115/2026, the two plaintiffs alleged that INEC gravely breached, disobeyed, ignored, omitted, and deliberately failed to ensure compliance with relevant laws in the secretive manner the NDC was registered.
Specifically, Karlahi and the ADA claimed the electoral umpire failed to comply with Sections 1, 6, 13, 14, 222, and 251 of the 1999 Constitution, as well as Sections 75 and 79 of the Electoral Act.
In the legal action instituted on their behalf by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Bankole Joel Akomolafe, via an originating summons, the plaintiffs argued that the NDC never met any of the constitutional requirements to qualify for registration. Furthermore, they asserted that INEC does not possess unfettered and unrestricted discretion to register the NDC.
Consequently, they are praying the Federal High Court to issue an order against INEC to void, set aside, cancel, and revoke the purported certificate of registration currently held by the NDC.
The plaintiffs are also seeking an order of perpetual injunction restraining INEC from further recognizing, accepting, maintaining in its records, or presenting any individual on the authority of the NDC as a political party for any election.
Another perpetual injunction is being sought to restrain the NDC from parading, introducing, presenting, or calling itself a registered political party through publications, broadcasts, or any other means.
The suit, which was instituted on June 2, 2026, is backed by a 25-paragraph affidavit deposed to by the first plaintiff, Hon. Ahidjo Ibrahim Karlahi. While Karlahi and the All Democratic Alliance are the two plaintiffs, INEC and the Nigeria Democratic Congress are listed as the two defendants.
Meanwhile, a date has not yet been fixed for the hearing of the new suit.
