The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed 7 July for the hearing of a suit seeking to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
Justice Mohammed Umar adjourned the matter on Monday after counsel to the plaintiff, Mr B.J. Akomolafe, informed the court that he had only just been served with documents by counsel to the NDC, Mr Moses Achile, and required time to file a response.
INEC, which is the first defendant in the case, was not represented during the proceedings.
The court directed that a hearing notice be issued and served on the electoral commission before the next hearing.
The plaintiff, Mr Ahidjo Karlahi, Protem Director of Organisation of the All Democratic Alliance (ADA), contends that the NDC did not comply with the constitutional and legal requirements governing the registration of political parties.
According to the suit, the NDC was not among the associations prequalified by INEC during the 2025 registration exercise, did not pay the prescribed administrative fee and did not complete the mandatory application process through the commission’s online portal.
Karlahi is seeking declarations that the party’s registration is unconstitutional and invalid, as well as orders directing INEC to withdraw its recognition of the NDC and preventing the party from participating in electoral activities as a registered political party.
He said the action was filed in his capacity as a citizen seeking to protect constitutional governance and the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process.
The suit comes days after a Federal High Court in Lokoja set aside an earlier judgment directing INEC to register the NDC, holding that the decision was reached without hearing all interested parties. The NDC has said it will challenge that ruling.
