AAP Sues INEC Over Registration of NDC

The African Alliance Party (AAP) has initiated legal proceedings against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), contesting the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).

In a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja after its National Executive Committee meeting, AAP National Publicity Secretary Abubakar Sadiq said the party had approved a lawsuit seeking the deregistration of NDC. He alleged that INEC registered NDC in place of AAP.

Sadiq claimed that NDC was not among the 14 associations pre-qualified for registration and was also not listed among the eight groups that completed document uploads and paid administrative fees during the commission’s verification exercise.

According to him, AAP was one of two associations earlier recommended for registration in December 2025. He argued that rejecting AAP in favour of NDC undermines the integrity of the electoral process.

AAP maintained that it fulfilled all statutory requirements, including participation in the physical verification exercise, while alleging that NDC did not meet similar conditions.

Sadiq called on INEC to register AAP, describing political party registration as a constitutional process governed by law rather than a discretionary decision. He urged the commission’s leadership to uphold transparency and due process.

He also expressed confidence that the courts would determine the matter in line with democratic principles.

INEC announced on 5 February the registration of two new political parties — Democratic Leadership Alliance and Nigeria Democratic Congress — bringing the total number of registered parties to 21.

INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan said DLA was the only association that met all legal requirements following a physical verification exercise involving 171 applicant groups.

He added that NDC was registered in compliance with an order of the Federal High Court in Lokoja in Suit No. FHC/LKJ/CS/49/2025.