Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is processing the request for the registration of a new political party, the All Democratic Alliance (ADA) for the 2027 general elections.
The commission stated this in a letter signed by its secretary, Rose Oriran-Anthony addressed to the protem national chairman of ADA, Chief Akin Ricketts, dated 27 June, 2025.
Opposition leaders had on June 19 submitted ADA for registration by INEC to become a political party. The commission had also acknowledged the receiving the registration application.
In the letter addressed to the protem national chairman of ADA, the electoral body said, “Your letter dated 19th June, 2025 on the above subject is acknowledged. The commission is processing your application in line with provisions of part 1 Clause 2(II) of our regulations and guidelines for political parties 2022.”
Reacting, one of key conveners of ADA, Dr. Umar Ardo, commended INEC for living up to the expectations of Nigerians by responding to their request within five days of its submission.
“INEC’s positive reaction since ADA submitted its application is encouraging. Within five days of the submission, the commission came out with clear statements indicating its impartiality and readiness to do the right thing and published all associations that applied.
“And within a week we got an acknowledgement letter to our application and assurance that it was being processed.
“With this reaction, the success or failure of our application now rests solely on the coalition group. All we need to be registered in the shortest possible time are two things – comply in full with the requirements of the law and, by our membership, demonstrate to INEC and to Nigerians that we are indeed capable of forming a political party that can win all elections in the country.
And that can only be achieved if the coalition group remains united,” he said.
LEADERSHIP had reported that another ADA, whose full name is Advanced Democratic Alliance (ADA) is also seeking to be registered by INEC.
Although they both share the same acronym, which INEC discourages, their logos, flags and addresses are different as seen on INEC’s list of political associations seeking registration which is a total of 110 so far.
The coalition’s ADA has Chief Akin A. Ricketts and Abdullahi Musa Elayo, as their chairman and protem secretary, while the other ADA has Alhaji Ahmadu Suleiman and Zipporah Pus Miracle as national chairman and protem secretary.
The emergence of two ADAs on the list is a throwback to the drama that surrounded the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2013.
The unfolding saga over the similar acronyms might set the electoral body on a familiar path back in 2013 when the then mega opposition platform All Progressives Congress (APC) was formed.
Recall that shortly after three (now defunct) opposition political parties, Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), and a faction of All Progressives Grand Alliance, (APGA) merged into a new APC, another group, known as the African Peoples Congress, with the same acronym of APC emerged and applied to the INEC to be registered as a political party.
Two other groups, named All Patriotic Citizens (APC) and All Progressives Congress of Nigeria (APCN) also emerged to seek registration with INEC as a political party.
The emergence of the other APC platforms triggered allegations and counter allegations, especially between the then merger parties and the African Peoples Congress.
INEC and the then ruling party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were accused of complicity in the drama.
After intense back and forth, INEC disqualified African Peoples Congress, saying the association breached Section 222 (a) of the 1999 Nigeria Constitution as amended.
But Ardo has since played down the situation, adding that they applied with the name and acronym before the other association.
When asked, Ardo told LEADERSHIP, “No problem. We’re there before them,” he said.
