INEC confirmed receipt of the application dated June 19, which signals a coordinated effort by several political heavyweights to float a new platform to challenge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 general elections.

Key backers of the ADA include, former Rivers Governor Rotimi Amaechi and former presidential aide Umar Ardo, convener of the League of Northern Democrats.

The letter to INEC, jointly signed by Chief Akin A. Rickets (Protem National Chairman) and Abdullahi Elayo (Protem National Secretary), reads: “We respectfully write to the Independent National Electoral Commission, requesting the registration of our association, the All Democratic Alliance, as a political party. This is a sequel to the decision taken by the Nigerian National Coalition Group to sponsor our association for full registration.”

The ADA’s slogan is “Justice for All”, and its symbol, a maize (corn), represents abundance, resilience, and sustenance values the party says it will uphold.

The submission includes all statutory requirements: party constitution, manifesto, logo, and minutes from foundational meetings.

The application follows INEC’s recent reminder that no amount of public or political pressure would alter the legal process for registering new parties. The commission emphasized full compliance with Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act.

With mounting internal divisions in existing opposition parties particularly the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP) and rising public disillusionment with current leadership, the emergence of ADA could trigger a significant realignment in Nigeria’s political landscape ahead of 2027.

Observers say the combination of Atiku, El-Rufai, and Amaechi who hail from different political traditions signals an unusual coalition of interests, potentially altering the dynamics of future elections.