The African Alliance Party (AAP) has vowed to challenge the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in court over what it described as its unlawful removal from the political party registration process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
AAP insisted that it fulfilled all constitutional and regulatory requirements outlined in the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Electoral Act, and INEC’s 2022 Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties.
Recall that in September 2025, INEC released a list of 14 pre-qualified associations out of 171 applications seeking registration as political parties. The list, signed by Sam Olumekun, National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, included AAP.
The interim chairmen and secretaries of the pre-qualified associations were invited to a briefing at INEC headquarters in Abuja on September 17, 2025. Subsequently, the Commission opened a dedicated portal from September 18 to October 18, 2025, for the upload of required documentation.
In a follow-up statement dated October 30, 2025, INEC disclosed that eight of the 14 associations, including AAP, successfully completed the upload of all necessary documents by the October 19 deadline.
AAP noted that reports later indicated that only two political associations were eventually cleared by INEC, with AAP initially mentioned among them, before its alleged removal from the process.
Describing the development as an injustice and a threat to Nigeria’s democratic space, the party demanded immediate registration or legal redress.
“It is a calculated assault on the nation’s democracy,” the party stated.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq, AAP reaffirmed its confidence in the judiciary and vowed to defend its rights in court.
“The integrity of INEC is at stake. Its double standard is glaring in registering the purported Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), which did not participate in the registration process nor was listed on INEC’s official platforms. On what basis was NDC registered?” the statement queried.
AAP further accused the electoral body of bias and policy inconsistency, arguing that due process must be followed to safeguard Nigeria’s democratic development.
The party maintained that any attempt to exclude it from the political process would be legally contested, insisting that INEC should immediately complete its registration.
