The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to register the All Democratic Alliance as a political party and release its access code within 72 hours .
Justice Peter Lifu, in his ruling on Monday, directed INEC to generate and release the access code to the Akin Rickett-led leadership of the association, clearing the path for the party’s formal registration.
The court also ordered the electoral body to reopen its registration portal for one week to enable the party to upload its membership register and other required documents .
The judge held that INEC acted unlawfully by issuing the access code to Umar Ardo, whom the court found was neither the protem national chairman nor the protem secretary of the association.
Justice Lifu consequently declared INEC’s action “illegal, wrongful, null and void” and nullified all documents and actions taken by Ardo on behalf of the proposed party .
The suit was instituted by the association through its counsel, Stephen Atabo, after INEC allegedly refused to issue the access code to the recognised leadership, instead granting it to Ardo.
The plaintiff argued that INEC violated existing electoral laws and sought an order compelling the commission to release the access code to the legitimate leadership of ADA .
The court also extended the deadlines earlier fixed by INEC for the submission of the party’s digital membership register and candidate nomination documents .
The judgment effectively resolves a leadership dispute that had stalled ADA’s registration process ahead of the 2027 elections .
