Court orders INEC to release ADA access code to Rickett-led exco

A Federal High Court in Abuja has mandated the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue an access code to the faction of the All Democratic Alliance (ADA) led by Chief Akin Rickett. This order aims to enable the association to proceed with its registration process as a political party.

Justice Peter Lifu, in his judgment, instructed INEC to provide the Protem Secretary of the Rickett-led faction with the access code within 72 hours. Furthermore, the court ordered INEC to reopen its registration portal for a period of one week, allowing the ADA to upload its membership register and other required statutory documents.

The court found that INEC had acted unlawfully by issuing the access code to Umar Ardo. Justice Lifu determined that Ardo was neither the recognized Protem National Chairman nor the Protem Secretary of the association. Consequently, the court declared INEC's decision to release the access code to Ardo as illegal, wrongful, null, and void. All actions and documents submitted by Ardo on behalf of the proposed political party concerning its registration were also nullified.

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INEC acted unlawfully by issuing the access code to Umar Ardo, whom it found was neither the recognised Protem National Chairman nor Protem Secretary of the association.

The lawsuit was initiated by the ADA, represented by its counsel Stephen Atabo, after INEC allegedly refused to issue the necessary access code. This code is essential for uploading documents required for the party's registration under the Electoral Act and INEC's guidelines. The plaintiffs argued that INEC violated the law by recognizing Ardo over the Rickett-led leadership and sought a declaration that any information uploaded by Ardo was unlawful.

In its ruling, the court affirmed that Ardo lacked the legal authority to act for the association, invalidating all steps he took towards the party's registration. The court's directive for INEC to issue the code to the recognized leadership and reopen the portal aims to ensure the ADA can complete its registration process.

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The court ordered INEC to issue the access code to the recognised leadership within 72 hours and reopen its portal for one week to enable the association complete the registration process by uploading its membership register and other required documents.