2027: Coalition leaders dump SDP, PDP, apply to INEC for registration of new political party

Opposition leaders under the coalition movement have applied to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the All Democratic Alliance (ADA) as a political party ahead of the 2027 general election.

The coalition is spearheaded by former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and Nasir el-Rufai, ex-governor of Kaduna.

The application, dated June 19 and addressed to the INEC chairman, was co-signed by Akin Ricketts, national chairman of ADA, and Abdullahi Musa Elayo, protem national secretary.

A stamped copy of the letter showed that it was received by the office of the INEC chairman on June 20.

The letter was titled “Application for registration as a political party.”

“We respectfully write to the Independent National Electoral Commission requesting the registration of our association, the All Democratic Alliance as a political party,” the letter reads.

“This is sequel to the decision taken by the Nigerian National Coalition Group to sponsor our association for full registration.

“The name of the party shall be All Democratic Alliance with ADA as our acronym and ‘Justice for All’ as our slogan.

“We have further attached our manifesto encompassing details of our party ideology and our constitution providing the legal framework that defines our identity, structures, and organisation.”

The registration moves might likely end doubts to Atiku ‘s future with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after the party’s years of internal turbulence before and after the 2023 general election that saw President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) emerged winner.

It also shows the immediate past Kaduna State Governor might also not be having a lasting affair with the Social Democratic Party (SDP), a party he defected to from the APC earlier this year.