The Alliance for Democratic Action (ADA) promoter, Umar Ardo, has opened up on his objections to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) registering the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC). During an appearance on Arise Television’s Morning Show on Thursday, Ardo accused the NDC of bypassing the constitutional and electoral procedures mandated for political party registration.
According to him, the first step to register a party is forming an association, followed by sending a formal letter of intent to INEC that includes the proposed party name, acronym, and logo. Ardo stated that the NDC wrote to INEC seeking registration, but the commission rejected the request, citing that the party’s logo resembled those of existing political parties and associations.
He explained that the law requires the association to challenge INEC’s decision in court within 14 days, but the NDC instead penned another letter asking the commission to reconsider its stance. Ardo claimed that after receiving no reply, the group eventually went to court with only the letter of intent, which he argued was insufficient to demonstrate compliance with the Electoral Act and constitutional provisions.
Ardo noted that a political association seeking registration must fill out Form EC15 and upload several documents to INEC’s portal, including the party constitution, manifesto, details of national executive members, and proof of payment of the prescribed fee. He alleged that the NDC failed to complete the form or upload the necessary documents before approaching the court.
Ardo maintained that INEC was aware that the association had not fulfilled the registration requirements and therefore should have opposed and appealed the court judgment in favor of the NDC. He said, ‘Why I oppose NDC? I need to explain that so that the castigation against me and then the misunderstanding by a lot of Nigerians, maybe assuaged.’
He elaborated on the steps: ‘You see, before you register a political party, the steps are one, you form an association. So they formed an association of Nigerian Democratic Congress NDC. Then you will write a letter of intent to INEC and say to INEC that we have formed this association and is serious to be registered as a political party. This is the name of the association. This is the acronym of the association, and this is the logo of the association, can you open the portal for us so that we apply in the portal by filling from EC15. This is the form that you must fill in if you want to register.’
Ardo continued, ‘NDC wrote to INEC this letter of intent. INEC then wrote back to NDC, said that, look, NDC, this your registration, we cannot continue with it, because your logo is different. It is similar to other political parties and political associations, therefore we cannot continue with you. Then the law says that if INEC writes to such a letter within 14 days, you should go to court. But NDC now wrote back to INEC and said, INEC, reconsider your position. INEC did not answer. After about a month or so, NDC wrote again. It said, we are giving you one month, you know, one week to reconsider. INEC did not answer. And then NDC picked this letter and went to court. And with that letter, the court said NDC had fulfilled all the requirements of the Constitution, all the requirements of the Electoral Act and all the guidelines, which is not true.’
He added, ‘This is because until you fill the form EC 15, where you upload the name of your party. Two, you upload this acronym. Three, you upload the logo. Four, you upload the Constitution. Five, you upload the manifesto. Six, you upload the executive members, national executive members. Seven, you upload the fee. You have to even pay a fee and get the receipt for INEC to give you the access the portal. You have to upload it. You have to upload 29 documents for you to be that you have applied. NDC did not do that. NDC did not pay. NDC did not fill that form. NDC did not do anything. NDC just took one letter to court, and the court said, You have fulfilled everything. If NDC can mislead the court, if NDC can beguile the gullible Nigerians, NDC could not do that to INEC because INEC knows the truth. INEC knows that NDC did not apply. So once they come with that judgment, INEC ought to have resisted and appealed.’