ADA to block faction’s INEC access code, heads to Appeal Court
June 30, 2026 1:08 pm
The All Democratic Alliance has rejected Monday’s judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja, directing the Independent National Electoral Commission to release the party registration access code to the Chief Akin Ricketts-led leadership, insisting the ruling sought to impose “outsider leadership” on the association.
In a statement shared with our correspondent on Tuesday, the association said it had instructed its lawyers to file a stay of execution and a notice of appeal against the judgment, arguing that Ricketts and other promoters had since left the ADA for the African Democratic Congress and no longer had the authority to act on its behalf.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Leye Igbabo, maintained that the court did not order INEC to register the ADA as a political party but merely directed the electoral umpire to release the registration access code to Ricketts to recommence the registration process.
“For clarity, the Court did not order the Independent National Electoral Commission to register the All Democratic Alliance as a political party. Rather, the Court directed INEC to release the registration access code to Chief Akin Ricketts to recommence the registration process.
“The change in the leadership of the Association was effectively and formally communicated to INEC before now, and the Commission had acknowledged and deemed the change to have been effected accordingly.
“Consequently, the registration process has since been completed by the Prince Uche Secondus- and Dr Umar Ardo-led National Executive Committee,” the statement read.
The association expressed concern that implementing the judgment would “have the effect of imposing outsider leadership on the Association and recommencing a concluded registration process.”
“It is not only an abuse of process, but also vexatious and obnoxious. The effect of the judgment, if implemented, is to hand over the ADA to persons who have abandoned the Association,” it added.
The party said it remained confident that the Court of Appeal would overturn the decision, noting that its substantive appeal was already scheduled for hearing.
The development comes a day after Justice Peter Lifu ordered INEC to generate and release the registration access code to the Akin Ricketts-led leadership within 72 hours and reopen its registration portal for one week to enable the association upload its membership register and other statutory documents.
The judge held that INEC acted unlawfully by issuing the access code to Dr Umar Ardo, whom the court found was neither the recognised Protem National Chairman nor Protem Secretary of the association.
The court consequently nullified all documents and actions taken by Ardo in relation to the registration process.
The suit was filed after the Ricketts-led faction accused INEC of recognising Ardo and refusing to issue it the access code required to complete the party registration process under the Electoral Act and the commission’s guidelines.
Nathaniel Shaibu is a correspondent at The PUNCH with three years of professional journalism experience. He covers the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), civil society, religion, and the Ministries of Women Affairs and Youth Development. In addition to his primary beats, Nathaniel also reports on politics, metro, security, and judicial matters, bringing clarity and balance to a wide range of public-interest stories. His work reflects hands-on newsroom experience, strong beat knowledge, and a commitment to accurate, responsible journalism.
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