By Emmy Joe
AHEAD of the 2027 general election, the African Alliance Party (AAP) has urged Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register its party, warning the body that it will take court action if the commission fails to act.
The party accused the electoral body of applying double standards in registration of political parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.
AAP’s National Publicity Secretary, Alh. Abubakar Sadiq, made the demand in a statement on Saturday, recalling that the national commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, earlier published a list of 14 pre-qualified political associations which includes AAP, out of 171 applications received, after which interim chairmen and secretaries were invited to a briefing at the commission’s headquarters.
According the party, the commission subsequently opened a portal for the upload of required documents, noting that INEC later confirmed that out of the 14 pre-qualified associations, eight which including AAP, successfully completed the submission process.
Sadiq said: “It is clear that we met all the requirements for registration as a political party, and was ‘unlawfully’ removed by INEC. This injustice shall not stand. It is a calculated assault on the nation’s democracy.”
Buttressing his stands, he cited media reports which indicated that only two political associations, including AAP and the Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA), were cleared for the final stage of registration,
He insists that developments afterwards represented what it described as a policy reversal capable of narrowing the political space ahead of the next elections.
The party fondly declared that “AAP demands immediate registration as a political party by INEC or face legal action”.
Furthermore, the political group raised a question on the basis for the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), alleging that the association did not participate in the documented registration process.
“The integrity of INEC is at stake. It’s double-standard is glaring in registering the purported Nigeria Democratic Congress that didn’t participate in the registration process nor listed on the INEC’s website and other official platforms for public information. On what criterion was NDC registered?” Sadiq queried.
