The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has issued a ruling directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to officially register and acknowledge the Citizens Democratic Alliance (CDA) as a legitimate political party in Nigeria.
The order was given on Tuesday by Justice Obiora Egwuatu while ruling on a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2787/25, which was filed by Tamunotonye Samuel Solomon Inioribo and two others against INEC.
Egwuatu ordered INEC to issue a certificate of registration to the CDA within seven days.
INEC had in October 2025, announced that CDA and seven other associations out of 14 pre-qualified associations seeking registration as political parties, had successfully completed the upload of all necessary information and documentation.
The associations were CDA, All Democratic Alliance (ADA), Abundance Social Party (ASP), African Alliance Party (AAP), Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA), Green Future Party (GFP), National Democratic Party (NDP) and People’s Freedom Party (PFP).
The electoral umpire also confirmed that the eight associations would proceed to the next stage, which is the detailed assessment and verification of the information and documents submitted by each association.
However, INEC announced in December 2025 that CDA’s application was unsuccessful.
On February 5, 2026, INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, said “only two” of the eight were “qualified for the final assessment and verification of due compliance with the constitution and the Electoral Act.”
Amupitan said only the DLA met all legal requirements after the final review and was registered by the commission.
However, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) was later registered by the commission, despite not being part of the pre-qualified associations.
Displeased with the development, the claimants approached the court to challenge the legality of INEC’s decision.
The claimant argued that CDA complied with all constitutional and statutory requirements for registration.
The court on Tuesday agreed with CDA’s argument and ordered INEC to register it as a political party ahead of the 2027 elections.
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