2027: Appeal Court receives six grounds of appeal to halt INEC's registration of ADA

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

ABUJA — The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal has been asked to set aside the order mandating the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the All Democratic Alliance (ADA) as a political party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The six grounds of appeal were lodged before the appellate court on Tuesday by an aggrieved member of the association, Dr. Umar Ardo, who had initially obtained the requisite access code from INEC but had his bid to register the ADA as a political party turned down.

According to the appellant, Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja erred in law and occasioned a miscarriage of justice when he ordered INEC to release its access code to a faction of the association led by Chief Akin Ricketts, who, the appellant alleged, had earlier been deposed as Pro Tem National Chairman of the association, with his name expunged from the association’s membership list.

While Chief Ricketts and Dr. Aminu Ahmed were listed as 1st and 2nd respondents, respectively, INEC was cited as the 3rd respondent in the appeal.