Nigerian Court Orders INEC to Register National Democratic Party

A Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the National Democratic Party (NDP) as a legal political entity. Presiding Judge Mohammed Umar ruled on February 16 that the NDP had satisfied all constitutional and statutory requirements under the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act 2022. The court nullified a December 2025 letter from INEC that had previously denied the party's registration request.

Ada Frederick Okwori, the NDP's interim national chairman, hailed the decision as a victory for the rule of law and participatory democracy. The court compelled INEC to immediately issue a certificate of registration and grant the party full political rights.

Parallel to this ruling, the African Alliance Party (AAP) initiated legal action to deregister the National Democratic Congress (NDC). The AAP alleges that the NDC was registered deceitfully on February 5, 2026, despite not being pre-qualified. The AAP claims it was one of the associations approved for registration in December 2025 and accused INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan of acting as a stooge to anti-democratic forces.

In response, Joash Amupitan stated that the NDC was registered following a separate order from the Federal High Court in Lokoja. These legal disputes highlight intensifying efforts by political associations to secure formal recognition ahead of Nigeria's 2027 general elections.