Dr Ardo Slams INEC Over NDC Registration, Says Party Failed Legal Requirements

By Emmanuel Kwada

Prominent politician and former governorship aspirant, Dr. Umar Ardo, has strongly criticised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the court judgment that led to the registration of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) as a political party.

In a detailed statement, Dr. Ardo argued that the NDC failed to meet the mandatory legal requirements for party registration as stipulated by INEC guidelines and the Electoral Act.

According to Dr. Ardo, no political association can be registered as a party without completing INEC’s Form EC15A, paying the mandatory N2 million administrative fee, obtaining an access code, and uploading essential documents including the party’s constitution, manifesto, national officers’ details, office address, and other requirements.

“The NDC did not pay the N2m mandatory Administrative Fee, it did not collect the Access Code, therefore it did not fill the Form EC15A and it did not upload anything,” Dr. Ardo stated.

He claimed to have obtained Certified True Copies of all documents submitted by the NDC to the Federal High Court in Lokoja, asserting that none of the fundamental registration requirements were presented before the court.

Dr. Ardo further alleged that the NDC secured its judgment on 3rd December 2025, before INEC completed its verification exercise, which took place on 8th and 10th December, with the entire process ending on 18th December 2025.

He expressed surprise that INEC kept the judgment secret until 5th February 2026, when it publicly announced the registration of the NDC by court order.

“This is exactly like someone who did not even contest an election being declared winner by a tribunal. It is a highly perverse judgment,” he said.

Dr. Ardo maintained that the development raises serious questions about due process and transparency in the registration of the new party, especially as notable politicians like Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso are reportedly associating with the NDC.

“Because Peter Obi and Kwankwaso and others have joined the NDC, we are told that Nigerians must accept it. If all Nigerians will accept this perversion, I will not, because I know better,” Dr. Ardo declared.

The outspoken politician urged Nigerians to demand strict adherence to the law in the registration and operations of political parties.

INEC is yet to respond to Dr. Ardo’s claims as at the time of filing this report.