“Judicial Murder”: Umar Ardo slams NDC registration, alleges INEC, Court bypassed law

ADA promoter Dr. Umar Ardo on Tuesday called the court-backed registration of the Nigerian Democratic Congress a “judicial murder,” alleging both INEC and the judiciary ignored constitutional procedure to approve the party.

Speaking on _Frontline_ on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ardo said the process was not an administrative slip but a “systemic breach” that threatens the credibility of party registration in Nigeria.

“This is not just irregularity. That is why I call it a judicial murder. There was absolutely nothing—no receipt, no documents, no compliance—yet judgment was given,” Ardo said.

-‘Sequence was broken’-

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Ardo said political party registration follows a strict, step-by-step process under the Constitution, Electoral Act, and INEC guidelines. Any shortcut, he argued, invalidates the outcome.

“It begins with a formal letter of intent to INEC, signed by the association’s chairman and secretary,” he explained. “INEC has 48 hours to acknowledge receipt, then 60 days to review if the name, acronym, or logo conflicts with existing parties.”

If cleared, he said, the association gets provisional approval — not registration — to proceed to formal filing via INEC’s EC15A portal.

-26 requirements ignored’-

The formal stage, Ardo said, involves paying a N2 million fee and uploading detailed documents: constitution, manifesto, national executive list across 24-36 states, Abuja headquarters proof of ownership or lease, and a bank account in the association’s name.

“There are about 26 requirements in total that must be satisfied before INEC can approve registration,” he said.

Ardo claimed NDC only submitted a letter of intent and stopped there. “It did not upload documents. It did not pay the administrative fee. It did not comply with EC15A. It did not submit executives across the required states. So the process was not completed at all.”

-Logo dispute, rushed to court-

He said INEC flagged NDC’s “victory sign” logo as conflicting with the Peace Movement of Nigeria. Instead of correcting it, Ardo alleged, NDC went to court prematurely.

-Timeline and jurisdiction questions-

Ardo also challenged the Lokoja Federal High Court judgment, saying NDC filed almost two months after INEC’s refusal — beyond the 14-day limit under the Electoral Act.

“INEC raised this as a preliminary objection, but the judge ignored it and said it was about the end of conversation. That is not what the law says,” he said.

He questioned the speed of the ruling: filed November 10, 2025, judgment delivered December 3, 2025 — less than 33 days. “Meanwhile, we have been in court for more than five months and we have not gotten judgment.”

Ardo further accused INEC of publishing party officials not listed in the court order, calling it “the worst perversion of justice.” He said INEC should have appealed instead of complying.

– Why Lokoja?-
He also raised why the case was filed in Lokoja rather than Abuja, where INEC is based. “These are facts that people with critical minds will start putting together,” he said.

-2017 letter ‘expired’-

Ardo dismissed claims by Senator Seriake Dickson that NDC’s recognition rested on a 2017 INEC acknowledgment letter. “That process was closed. INEC guidelines state such approvals expire after 30 days. INEC even wrote him that he had discontinued the process.”

-Democracy at stake-

Ardo warned that ignoring procedure weakens institutions. “If we allow this, then anybody can just write a letter and go to court and claim compliance. Where truth is perverted, institutions are weakened.”

He said he has given documents to three Senior Advocates of Nigeria and is exploring an appeal out of time. “In constitutional matters, locus does not arise. Any citizen can go to court.”

“I am not doing this because I did not get registration. I am doing this to protect our democracy,” he concluded.