Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, along with ex-Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has led a coalition of prominent figures to seek registration of a new political party—the All Democratic Alliance (ADA).
The group, under the banner of the National Opposition Coalition Group, submitted an official application to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday, June 19, 2025.
This development comes amid growing discontent with the current administration led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The coalition hopes to attract Nigerians who are looking for new leadership and direction ahead of the next general election. Political watchers say the timing of the move could be strategic, as it follows ongoing debates over the direction of opposition parties in Nigeria.
Key figures involved in this movement include former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, and Umar Ardo, a former aide to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo and convener of the League of Northern Democrats. Their backing gives the ADA a strong foundation across multiple regions.
The coalition’s letter to INEC was signed by the group’s Protem National Chairman, Chief Akin A. Rickets, and Protem National Secretary, Abdullahi Elayo.
The letter partly read, “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 name of the party shall be All Democratic Alliance with ADA as our acronym and ‘Justice for All’ as our slogan.”
The coalition also submitted relevant documents, including the party’s constitution, manifesto, logo, and minutes of its foundational meetings.
The party’s symbol prominently features a maize (corn), which the applicants say represents abundance, resilience, and sustenance, core ideals they hope to promote.
“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 letter continued.
