Court Dismisses ADA's Registration Suit Against INEC

On Wednesday, the Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed a suit filed by Umar Ardo against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) concerning the registration of the African Democratic Congress (ADC). The plaintiff sought a court directive for INEC to register the ADC as a political party under the Electoral Act 2022.

Justice Emeka Nwite delivered the judgment, stating that the case was not properly filed due to a lack of reliable evidence supporting the claims made by the plaintiff. The court ruled that the matter was brought through the wrong legal process, as it involved disputes of fact that required witness testimony.

The judgment noted that the plaintiff failed to prove his claims, relying solely on newspaper reports, which the court determined did not constitute sufficient proof. Additionally, the court found that the plaintiff did not adequately demonstrate that Chief Akin Rickett had officially joined the ADC.

Consequently, the court dismissed the case for lack of merit.