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The first court battle for 2027 has just begun. And it also depends on who can compete.
Ahidjo Ibrahim Karlahi, director of the All Democratic Alliance ADA, has dragged INEC to the Federal High Court, Abuja. He is asking the court to cancel the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress NDC as a political party.
Case No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1115/2026, filed on June 2, 2026. NDC is listed as 2nd Respondent.
–’The main accusation: INEC ignored its own rules–
Karlahi’s argument is blunt: INEC had a duty to enforce the Constitution, the Electoral Law 2022 and its own “Regulations and Guidelines for the Registration of Political Parties 2022”. He says the commission has failed miserably.
“Whether or not INEC grossly failed to ensure compliance… when it registered NDC as a political party in total disregard, negligence and without compliance and total disobedience to these provisions,” the suit reads.
The ADA claims the NDC jumped the queue. If the court agrees, the NDC registration becomes “unconstitutional, unlawful, null and void”.
—What Karlahi wants from the court:–
1. Declare the registration of the NDC illegal due to non-compliance with the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Law
2. Order INEC to “protect, preserve and defend” its guidelines by deregistering the NDC
3. Query INEC’s “executive and administrative action” in party registration
–Why this matters for 2027–
INEC has been under pressure to open up political space.
Dozens of associations are calling for party status before 2027.
The ADA itself is a political association waiting in the wings.
If the court overturns the NDC, a precedent is set: INEC cannot bend registration rules, no matter the pressure.
If the court rejects the request, INEC gets legal support that its trial has been clean.
In any case, the June 2 presentation just became the first test case for “fair registration” before the start of the 2027 campaigns.
The judge’s gavel could decide which new logos appear on ballots.
