Tinubu critics move to form new political party, apply to INEC for registration

In a bold political development, the Nigeria National Coalition Group (NNCG)—a vocal critic of President Bola Tinubu’s administration—has taken formal steps to register a new political party named the All Democratic Alliance (ADA).

The move follows weeks of internal consultations and growing dissatisfaction with the current political landscape. According to documents obtained on Friday, the NNCG submitted its application to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on June 19, 2025, with acknowledgment received the next day.

The application was signed by Chief Akin A. Rickets, who has been named the Protem National Chairman of the emerging party.

According to the letter: “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 submission outlined the party’s official name, acronym, and guiding slogan: “The name of the party shall be All Democratic Alliance with ADA as our acronym and ‘Justice for All’ as our slogan.”

Additional documents accompanied the application, including the party’s logo and its symbolic interpretations:“We have also herewith attached our logo describing in details the symbolism of our party colours and the their configuration and the corn (Maize).”

Also included were the party’s founding documents:
“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.”

The letter concluded with a courteous message from Rickets:
“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.”

Prominent figures associated with the NNCG include former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; ex-governors Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers State) and Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna State); as well as Dr. Umar Ardo, convener of the League of Northern Democrats.

Initially, the group explored the possibility of aligning with existing political parties such as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP). However, internal divisions and ongoing litigations within those platforms raised concerns about stability and cohesion.

In response, the coalition appointed a committee—chaired by Rotimi Amaechi—to assess the feasibility of launching an entirely new political platform. The committee’s findings, submitted last week, strongly recommended pursuing a fresh registration to ensure an equitable structure for all members.