The All Democratic Alliance (ADA) is utterly dismayed by the blatant refusal of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register it as a political party, having fulfilled all the requirements needed for such registration.
Protem National Publicity Secretary of ADA noted that ADA was one of the 172 associations that applied to be registered as political parties and was among the eight associations that were finally shortlisted by the INEC.
“On Friday 5th December 2025, the Association received a letter from INEC intimating it of its readiness to conduct a verification exercise on the following Monday, 8th December 2025. Even though the notice was short and suspicious, all members of the NEC across the entire Nigeria, made themselves available for the verification exercise, which took place on Monday 8th December 2025.
“IINEC apologized for the very short notice and equally hailed our level of preparedness for the verification exercise. Our National Office at Abuja is well located and equipped for the convenience and comfort of both NEC members and any visitors.
“As we speak today, all the 36 State chapters of the Association have been opened for political activities,” he said.
Igbabo added that throughout the registration exercise and up to the day of the verification, there was never any time that INEC complained about any information not supplied to it. All information were supplied within the stipulated time frame and which INEC acknowledged accordingly.
“We therefore find the denial by the INEC as not only rude, crude, brazen and predetermined but also highly ominous, calamitous and disastrous to the survival of our hard-earned democracy.
“We patriotically call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) to rein in his agencies which are becoming stumbling blocks to the sustenance of democratic project in Nigeria. Our hard-earned democracy must be allowed to flourish in the overall interest of the public.
“While we acknowledge the right of any public office holder to seek a second term in office, such ambition must be based on good performance score card and not muzzling of opposition parties or denying registration of new ones that can avail the electorate the opportunity to choose their preferred representatives. The hard-earned democracy must not be sacrificed on the altar of personal ambition.
“This level of gangsterism did not even surface during the tenures of the Military General-turned politicians. We are deeply worried that our democracy is now faltering and heading towards a huge rock under Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who once claimed to be an unrepentant democracy fighter.
“However, the All Democratic Alliance has resolved to challenge INEC in the competent court of law over its refusal to register it as a political party, having satisfied all conditions precedent to such registration and we are confident that justice, according to its motto, shall ultimately prevail.
“We invite the attention of all stakeholders including operators of governments, INEC, law courts to be deliberate, conscious and intentional in sustaining the fledgling democratic project by playing their roles patriotically as solemnly assigned by the constitution, otherwise, the democratic system may hit the rock and the consequences, as we should know, would be a monumental disaster that is rare in the annals of Nigeria’s chequered political history,” the statement said.
