‘NDC misled the court into registering it’ — Dr Umar Ardo alleges

Politics

ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — Promoter of the proposed African Democratic Alliance (ADA), Dr Umar Ardo, has defended the party’s registration effort and faulted Wednesday’s Federal High Court ruling dismissing its case against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Speaking during an interview on Arise Television’s Morning Show monitored by our correspondent on Thursday, Ardo said the court decision was based on a preliminary objection filed by two individuals who joined the suit.

“Yesterday, the Federal High Court dismissed our case on the basis of a preliminary injunction by those two guys who joined us. We will look at it and test it with the veracity of the law,” he said.

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Ardo, a political strategist and convener of the League of Northern Democrats, insisted that the ADA project was not solely targeted at the 2027 general elections but aimed at providing a long-term political alternative for Nigerians.

“We are not registering ADA just because of the 2027 election. Elections will always come and go. We believe ADA is the right alternative,” he stated.

The former presidential aspirant also addressed criticisms surrounding his opposition to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), a political party recently registered by INEC and associated with former Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Seriake Dickson.

Ardo argued that his position against the NDC should not be interpreted as opposition to coalition efforts or other opposition parties.

“It is not factually true that because you oppose NDC, you are opposing all opposition political parties,” he said.

He alleged that the NDC did not properly follow the registration process before securing approval from INEC, describing the development as misleading.

“I opposed the NDC to correct what I consider a national fraud. NDC misled the court into registering it,” Ardo alleged.

The ADA promoter further claimed that he had engaged political figures close to former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi and personally spoke with former Kano State Governor, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, urging them not to align with the NDC.

However, Ardo did not provide specific details regarding the concerns he claimed to have raised about the party.

His remarks come amid growing disagreements among opposition figures and coalition groups ahead of the 2027 elections, particularly over the emergence of new political platforms and alliance-building efforts.

The National Publicity Secretary of the proposed ADA had earlier criticised Ardo’s perceived hostility toward other opposition parties, accusing him of undermining broader coalition efforts.

Meanwhile, Senator Seriake Dickson, founder and national leader of the NDC, had previously accused Ardo of sponsoring what he described as a misleading campaign against the party.

Dickson, while defending the legitimacy of the NDC registration process, said documents in the party’s possession showed that its registration efforts began in 2017 before the process was temporarily halted.

“When party registration resumed last year, we revisited and updated our earlier application,” Dickson said.

He added that the party had documentary evidence, including records of its logo search and earlier correspondence linked to the registration exercise.

According to the former governor, political projects of national significance often attract distractions and opposition.

“These are all parts of the terrain that we are used to. I therefore urge Nigerians to discountenance and ignore such propaganda about the NDC or any of its leaders and remain focused on the bigger picture,” he said.