Former presidential aspirant and political activist, Dr. Umar Ardo, has confirmed that a legal challenge against the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is currently before the court, insisting the party’s approval allegedly violated due process.

Speaking in an interview, Ardo said he approached the court over what he described as irregularities in the registration process, arguing that the NDC was approved without meeting the required legal and constitutional standards for political party formation in Nigeria.

He maintained that the action was not politically driven but aimed at enforcing compliance with electoral laws. The thing is right there, clear and open,” he said. “It’s because the NDC was registered without even applying, without meeting the requirements of the law, without meeting the constitutional requirements of Nigeria, and without meeting INEC’s requirements. Ardo questioned why attention was being focused on the party, insisting that any similar case would also be challenged in court.

“Tell me which party was registered without meeting the requirements. If there is any, I will take them to court as well,” he added. He also stressed that the judiciary remains the appropriate avenue for resolving such disputes and expressed confidence that the court would determine the matter based on evidence presented.

In his remarks, Ardo highlighted his history of legal confrontations in Nigeria’s political space, claiming he has been involved in court cases about 15 times.

He also stated that he has previously taken former Presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari to court over political and governance issues.

According to him, these experiences underscore his independence. “Nobody can use me; the truth must be spoken,” he said. INEC has yet to issue an official response to the allegations or the ongoing court case.