A Federal High Court in Abuja has cleared the coast for the registration of the All Democratic Alliance, ADA, by ordering the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to generate and subsequently release Access Code for the party’s registration to the Chief Akin Rickett-led leadership of the ADA.
Justice Peter Lifu in a judgment on Monday gave INEC 72 hours within which the access code must be released to the Protem Secretary of the ADA.
Justice Lifu in the judgement faulted the electoral body for releasing the access code to one Dr Umar Ardo, who was not a recognized Protem Secretary of the political association and consequently declared the action of INEC as illegal, wrongful, null and void.
The court further ordered INEC to open its portal for a period of one week to enable the plaintiff upload necessary documents, including membership digital register into INEC’s custody as required by law.
The plaintiff through his counsel, Stephen Atabo, had dragged the electoral body and Ardo before the court, seeking declarations among others that INEC has not issued an access code to the plaintiff for the purpose of uploading their information and documents for the registration of their political association, the All Democratic Alliance as a political party, in compliance with extant laws.
They also sought another declaration that INEC was in violation of the extant laws when it issued the access code to the second defendant, Umar Ardo, who is neither the Protem National Chairman or the secretary of the association, instead of the plaintiff, who is the protem national chairman.
Plaintiff further pleaded with the court to declare that the information uploaded into INEC’s portal by a wrongful person, or Umar Ardo on behalf of ADA, was in violation of the extant laws, as it was at variance with the information in the plaintiff’s letter of intent and should therefore be declared illegal, unlawful, null and void and of no effect.
Besides, the plaintiff asked for an order of the court against INEC directing it to release access code to the plaintiff for the purpose of uploading their information and documents for the registration of their association as a political party.
Plaintiff also asked for an order directing INEC to register their political association as a political party and as well issue a certificate of registration to the plaintiff.
Similarly, an order of the court directing INEC to extend the deadlines of May 10, 2026 and May 30, 2026, for the submission of their digital register of members and submission of candidates respectively to the electoral body.
After reviewing the submissions of counsel to parties involved in the legal battle, Justice Lifu agreed that Umar Ardo was neither the national protem chairman nor secretary of the political association and therefore nullified all the steps, and actions taken on behalf of the ADA.
Although, the plaintiff requested for 96 hours for INEC to generate access code to him, Justice Lifu however granted only 72 hours.
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