A political association, I Love Nigeria, has filed a lawsuit against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the commission’s rejection of its proposed name and logo in the ongoing registration process for new political parties.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2002/2025, was filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja, by the association’s Protem National Chairman, John Collins Nwobodo, Esq, and Protem National Secretary, Aya Yakubu.
In its originating summons, the association posed a sole question for the court’s determination: “Whether the Defendant has the power to disapprove a political association’s letter of intent for registration as a political party on the ground of unsuitability of name and logo where the name and logo concerned do not fall short of the criteria/checklist prescribed in Section 222(e) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), Section 79(2)(a)(b)(c), 4(a)(b)(c)(d) of the Electoral Act, 2022, and Part 1, Paragraphs 2(ii), 5(v)(a)(b)(c) & 6(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v) of the Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties, 2022.”
The association is seeking several reliefs from the court, including a declaration that INEC lacks the power to reject its application based on the name and logo. It further asked the court to declare that the name “I Love Nigeria” and its logo meet all constitutional and statutory requirements for party registration.
“We want the court to set aside INEC’s decision branding our name and logo as unsuitable and to compel the commission to allow us proceed to the next stage of the registration process,” the plaintiffs stated.
Among its prayers, I Love Nigeria is also seeking an order directing INEC to provide the association with necessary administrative support and guidance through the stages of the party registration process, as prescribed under Section 75 of the Electoral Act, 2022.
Additionally, the group is asking for “an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Defendant from excluding the Plaintiffs’ political association from the registration process.”
The case comes amid INEC’s recent rejection of 157 letters of intent from political associations seeking registration as political parties, sparking controversy and pushback from aggrieved groups.
