Lawsuit Seeks to Deregister Peter Obi’s NDC, Party Leader Insists Registration Is Valid

A lawsuit filed by a protem official of the All Democratic Alliance (ADA) is seeking the deregistration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, the party linked to 2027 presidential hopeful Peter Obi.

Ahidjo Karlahi, protem Director of Organization for ADA, filed the suit last Tuesday at the Federal High Court in Abuja. Marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1115/2026, the case has been assigned to Justice Mohammed Umar by Chief Judge Tsoho. Karlahi joined INEC as the 1st defendant and NDC as the 2nd defendant.

Karlahi argues that NDC did not meet the constitutional and statutory requirements for registration under Sections 221 to 225A of the 1999 Constitution and Sections 75 and 79 of the Electoral Act 2022. He alleges that NDC was not among the prequalified associations for the 2025 party registration exercise, did not pay the N2 million administrative fee, did not access INEC’s registration portal, and did not fill Form EC15A, the mandatory application form.

“The NDC was not listed among the pre-qualified political associations published by INEC as having applied. These are not mere allegations – they are matters of public record,” Karlahi said in the originating summons.

He is asking the court to declare NDC’s continued recognition by INEC unconstitutional and unlawful, set aside its certificate of registration, order INEC to remove it from the register of political parties, and restrain it from participating in electoral activities.

Karlahi said the suit is his personal effort to uphold constitutionalism and electoral integrity, not a political attack. 

“I believe that electoral integrity is the bedrock of constitutional democracy. If the process for registering political parties is compromised, the entire democratic edifice is at risk,” he said. He urged Nigerians to follow the case as a test of the rule of law.

NDC national leader and founder Seriake Dickson had since rejected the challenge. 

Speaking at the party’s maiden national convention at Angeles Event Centre and Mall in Abuja, Dickson said there is no pending litigation or appeal against NDC’s registration. He insisted the party is legally recognized and united ahead of the 2027 elections.