INEC Asked To Deregister NDC As Fresh Suit Challenges Party’s Registration

A fresh legal challenge has been instituted against the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), with a plaintiff asking a Federal High Court in Abuja to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the party.

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1115/2026, was filed by the protem Director of Organisation of the All Democratic Alliance (ADA), Ahidjo Karlahi, and has been assigned to Justice Mohammed Umar.

Karlahi joined INEC and the NDC as first and second defendants respectively, arguing that the party failed to satisfy constitutional and statutory requirements governing the registration of political parties in Nigeria.

The development comes despite recent assurances by NDC founder and national leader, Seriake Dickson, that the party’s registration remains valid and unchallenged. Speaking at the party’s maiden national convention in Abuja, Dickson maintained that the NDC is legally recognised and prepared for the 2027 general elections.

However, in the originating summons, Karlahi contended that the NDC was not among the associations prequalified by INEC for the 2025 political party registration exercise and did not complete mandatory registration procedures prescribed by the Constitution and the Electoral Act.

According to the plaintiff, the NDC neither paid the required administrative fee nor accessed INEC’s dedicated registration portal to complete Form EC15A, which he described as the only valid process for applying for registration as a political party.

Karlahi further alleged that the party was not listed among political associations published by INEC as having formally applied for registration, insisting that these are matters of public record.

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He is therefore asking the court to declare the party’s continued recognition by INEC unconstitutional, unlawful and void, and to set aside its certificate of registration.

Among the reliefs sought are orders directing INEC to remove the NDC from its official register of political parties, cease further dealings with the party, and restrain it from participating in electoral activities as a registered political party.

The plaintiff maintained that the action was filed in his personal capacity as a citizen interested in protecting constitutionalism, the rule of law and electoral integrity, stressing that the suit was not instituted on behalf of ADA or any political group.

He urged Nigerians, civil society organisations and the media to closely monitor the proceedings, describing the case as a test of adherence to constitutional provisions governing political party registration.

The court is expected to fix a date for hearing in the matter.