A new political storm is brewing for Mr. Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso following a threat by the promoter of the All Democratic Alliance, Dr. Umar Ardo, to challenge the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress in court over alleged irregularities by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Obi, a former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, and Kwankwaso, ex-governor of Kano State, formally aligned with the NDC on Sunday, a development now overshadowed by questions surrounding the party’s legitimacy.
In an interview with DCL Hausa, Ardo alleged that the NDC failed to meet key constitutional provisions, the Electoral Act, and INEC’s guidelines before securing its registration. However, the founder of the NDC and former Bayelsa State governor, Seriake Dickson, dismissed the allegations, describing them as politically motivated attempts to discredit a duly registered party.
Dickson, in a statement issued yesterday, said: “INEC registered new political parties following the lifting of the ban on the creation of new parties. A total of 171 political associations applied to the commission for registration. At a quarterly consultative meeting with political party leaders in Abuja in February 2026, INEC chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan revealed that only two of the 171 applicants had been granted registration, the Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA) and the NDC which was registered in compliance with a court order.”
He maintained that the registrations complied with Sections 222 and 223 of the 1999 Constitution, as well as Sections 75 and 79 of the Electoral Act 2022, in addition to INEC’s regulatory framework for political parties.
Ardo, however, insisted that the NDC did not follow due process, claiming it only submitted a letter of intent, was not shortlisted, did not use INEC’s official registration portal, and failed to provide essential documents such as a constitution, manifesto, and executive membership list.
He contrasted this with his own experience, stating that ADA fulfilled all requirements, including fee payments and submission of documents, and received a letter from INEC dated September 10, 2025, confirming it had met the criteria to proceed. Despite this, ADA and 13 other groups were denied registration, prompting legal action.
Ardo further questioned the speed of the NDC’s court victory, noting that he invested N200 million in the registration process and established offices nationwide, yet was unsuccessful, while the NDC secured approval within a short period.
“The Nigeria Democratic Congress obtained registration without proper application. It did not meet the requirements set by the law, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or INEC guidelines. It is clearly irregular. Even on INEC’s website, the party’s leadership is listed as having emerged by court order. Yet, at the time of the ruling, no names were submitted. The names were only provided after registration. Within 32 days of filing its case, the NDC secured judgment. Our own case has been in court for five months without a ruling. This kind of inconsistency brings instability and undermines peace in the country,” he said.
Dismissing claims of political motives, Ardo said his legal challenge was consistent with his past actions against previous administrations, including those of former Presidents Goodluck Jonathan and the late Muhammadu Buhari.
Responding, Dickson reiterated that the NDC’s registration process began in 2017 but was halted due to INEC’s suspension of new party registrations. He explained that the application resumed after the ban was lifted, with the NDC among the 171 associations considered.
He added that the party had previously disputed INEC’s concerns over its logo, described as a two-finger sign, which the commission said resembled the APC’s broom symbol, and had even offered to make changes.
On the possibility of a legal challenge, Dickson argued that INEC’s compliance with the court judgment and the expiration of the appeal window mean no third party has the legal standing to contest the party’s registration.
“We wrote to INEC notifying them of our intention to sue and we went to court over this unlawful exclusion and upon this, the court enforced our rights to freedom of association, deemed us registered and directed INEC to register us, which they have implemented. No individual or group has the legal standing to contest the registration of a political party after a court judgment has been duly obeyed and implemented by INEC,” he said.
He also noted that other parties, including the Nigeria Democratic Party (NDP), had secured registration through court action without attracting similar criticism, expressing disappointment at what he described as an unwarranted attack from a former ally.
