ADA Registration Battle Deepens as Ardo Appeals Court Ruling, Seeks to Halt INEC Action

The legal battle over the registration of the All Democratic Alliance (ADA) has taken a fresh turn as a chieftain of the proposed political party, Umar Ardo, appealed a Federal High Court judgment directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue a fresh access code for the party’s registration process.

Ardo has also filed an application before the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, seeking a stay of execution of the June 29 judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/93/26, pending the determination of his appeal.

Justice Lifu had ruled that INEC acted unlawfully by previously issuing the registration access code to Ardo, holding that he was neither the recognised Protem National Chairman nor the Protem National Secretary of the association. The court consequently declared that the documents uploaded through Ardo were invalid and affirmed that the registration process initiated by the faction led by Akin Ricketts remained valid and ongoing.

Dissatisfied with the ruling, Ardo urged the appellate court to set aside the judgment, arguing that the suit filed by the respondents was statute-barred under Section 76 of the Electoral Act 2022 because it was instituted outside the 14-day period prescribed for challenging INEC’s non-registration decisions.

He further contended that the action constituted an abuse of court process, maintaining that another suit involving the same parties and subject matter, Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/2788/2025, was already pending before the Federal High Court.

Ardo also challenged the legal standing of the respondents, arguing that the first respondent, Akin Ricketts, had ceased to be the association’s Protem National Chairman, while the second respondent, Aminu Ahmed, was neither properly appointed nor recognised as a member of the political association.

The appellant further faulted the trial court’s directive compelling INEC to issue a fresh access code within 72 hours and reopen the registration portal, insisting that the order amounted to judicial interference in the internal affairs of a political association.

He therefore asked the Court of Appeal to allow the appeal, set aside the Federal High Court judgment, and award costs against the respondents.

In a separate application for stay of execution, Ardo argued that allowing the judgment to be enforced before the appeal is heard could render the appeal nugatory.

According to him, once ADA is registered as a political party, the action would become effectively irreversible, even if the Court of Appeal later overturns the lower court’s decision.

He further submitted that the registration of a political party is a public act with significant constitutional and electoral implications, warning that reversing such a process after completion could disrupt the electoral system and undermine public confidence in the democratic process.

The Court of Appeal is yet to fix a date for the hearing of both the appeal and the application for stay of execution.