Umar Ardo, the spokesperson for the Alliance for Democratic Action (ADA), told Arise Television’s Morning Show why he opposes the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) decision to register the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC).
Ardo said the NDC failed to meet the constitutional and electoral requirements that govern the formation of a political party in Nigeria. He explained that the registration process begins with the establishment of an association, followed by a formal letter of intent to INEC that sets out the proposed party’s name, acronym and logo.
According to Ardo, the NDC submitted such a letter, but INEC rejected it on the basis that the party’s logo was too similar to those of existing parties and associations. The Electoral Act mandates that an association must challenge a rejection within fourteen days by filing a suit in court. Instead, the NDC wrote to INEC asking for a reconsideration, received no response, and later approached the court with only the original letter of intent.
Ardo argued that the court’s ruling in favour of the NDC was misplaced because the group had not completed the mandatory Form EC‑15 or uploaded the required documentation to INEC’s portal. The form, he said, requires the party’s constitution, manifesto, details of its national executive, proof of payment of the prescribed fee and a series of other documents—totaling 29 separate uploads. Ardo maintained that the NDC neither filled the form nor paid the registration fee before seeking judicial intervention.
He added that INEC was aware of these deficiencies and should have appealed the court’s judgment. “When a party does not satisfy the statutory requirements, the commission cannot simply accept a court order that overlooks the procedural gaps,” Ardo said. “If the NDC can mislead the court, it can also mislead the electorate.”
The dispute underscores ongoing tensions between political actors and the electoral authority over the application of Nigeria’s party‑registration rules. Observers note that the case may set a precedent for how strictly INEC enforces compliance with the Electoral Act in future registrations.
Legal analysts expect further litigation, as INEC is likely to file an appeal. The outcome could clarify the procedural thresholds for party formation and influence the landscape ahead of upcoming elections.
