The All Democratic Alliance lost its legal battle to become a registered political party on Wednesday when the Federal High Court in Abuja threw out its case against the Independent National Electoral Commission.
ADA and its backers had sued INEC after the electoral body refused to register the party. The court's dismissal closes off one avenue for the group, which had pushed hard to join Nigeria's crowded field of registered political parties.
The ruling came after INEC rejected ADA's application, a decision the party challenged in court. However, the judges found no merit in the case and sided with the electoral commission. Details of the court's reasoning were not immediately clear, but the decision leaves ADA without a path forward through the courts at this stage.
ADA now faces a choice: accept the court's decision or explore other legal options, though appeals would face an uphill battle. The party's registration push reflected broader frustration among some political actors with what they see as INEC's gatekeeping role in determining which groups can operate as registered parties.
