After weeks of deliberations, the Nigeria National Coalition Group, NNCG, has formally applied to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, seeking for the registration of a new political party with the name All Democratic Alliance, ADA.

The application letter, dated 19th June, 2025, was stamped received by INEC on 20 June, 2025.

A copy of the letter, which was signed by the association’s Protem National Chairman, Chief Akin A. Rickets, was sighted by Vanguard in Abuja on Friday.

The letter read in part: “Application For Registration As A Political Party.

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

“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.

“The National Secretariat of the party is as stated at the bottom of the association’s letterhead used in this application.

“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 organization, regulates our affairs and guides our actions in alignment with Section 40 and 222 of the Constitution, Section 75 of the Electoral Act (2022) and global democratic principles and objectives.

“Please find attached the following documents: our party flag depicting our name, acronym and slogan, manifesto, constitution and minutes of meeting.

“While we eagerly await further action from the commission on the next step forward towards attaining our desired goal, please accept the consideration of our highest respect. Thank you yours most sincerely; Chief Akin A. Rickets, Protem National Chairman.”

Members

Members of the anti-Tinubu coalition include: Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar; ex-Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi; his Kaduna State counterpart, Nasir El-Rufai; the convener of the League of Northern Democrats, Dr. Umar Ardo, and a host of others.

The group had considered joining an existing political party which saw the African Democratic Congress, ADC, and the Social Democratic Party, SDP, jostling to out do each other to be considered.

However, several members of the coalition expressed concerns over the internal wrangling within existing parties, which in some cases had led to litigations.

The coalition subsequently set up a committee to also consider the option of registering a completely new platform where all members will start on equal footing in terms of membership.

The committee, which was headed by former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi submitted its report about a week ago with a recommendation in favour of registering a new party.

Former Nigerian Vice President Namadi Sambo officially dumped the People’s Democratic Party for the ruling All Progressives Party, on Wednesday.

Ekwutosblog reports that the former VP under ex-president Goodluck Jonathan’s administration between 2010 and 2015 joined the Kaduna State Chapter of the APC on Friday.

An APC stalwart, Imran Muhammad, confirmed Sambo’s defection in his X account.

Details soon…

Odey, a native of Cross River State, came under scrutiny from the panel, chaired by Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, over his non-indigene status.

The Senate Adhoc Committee on the Emergency Rule in Rivers State has commenced the screening of nominees for the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), with a major point of contention emerging over the nomination of Michael Odey as the chairman of the electoral body.

Odey, a native of Cross River State, came under scrutiny from the panel, chaired by Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, over his non-indigene status, particularly as he hails from the same state as the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Ibok Ekwe Ibas.

While defending his eligibility, Odey said his nomination does not contravene any provisions of the RSIEC enabling law.

“With utmost respect, I have gone through the RSIEC’s enabling law, and there is nothing that precludes the appointment of anybody outside the state as chairman of the electoral management body,” he said.

However, Senator Bamidele expressed reservations, noting that even if the law is silent on the matter, the implications of appointing someone from outside the state must be carefully considered.

He said, “We are also in possession of the law, so make it available to the committee because in my opinion, the Independent National Electoral Commission is about the Federal Republic of Nigeria. When we say State Independent Electoral Commission, it is about that state.”

The Senate Leader added that the nomination raises fundamental concerns about public perception and legal precedent.

“This is not a matter we are just going to gloss over. It has to be something we can defend. Even if the law does not prohibit such an appointment, we must ensure it is not repugnant to public conscience,” the lawmaker said.

He said the committee would re-examine the eligibility criteria under the RSIEC law to determine if such an appointment could serve as a viable precedent for the future.

Other nominees screened for membership of the commission included Lezaasi Lenee Torbira, Arthur Nwafor, Godfrey Mbudiogha, Joyce Akaniwor, Olive A. Bruce, and Chidi Halliday.