Nigeria’s Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed a bid to compel registration of Wisdom Party, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported Wednesday, Oct. 21, leaving it off the recognized-party list before the 2027 vote.
NAN said Judge James Omotosho found the claim had no merit and upheld the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) authority to impose administrative fees. The agency also reported that Omotosho considered the dispute academic. Chinasa Nwekeke, whom NAN identified as the association’s pro tem national chairman, brought the case seeking an order requiring INEC to accept the association’s registration application and a declaration recognizing Wisdom Party as a registered party.
NAN reported that Nwekeke’s suit, filed April 14, 2026, under docket FHC/ABJ/CS/746/2026, sought an order requiring INEC to accept the association’s registration application and a declaration recognizing Wisdom Party as a registered party. Nwekeke argued that INEC had not rejected the association’s proposed identity or sent the information needed to pay the fee, according to NAN. INEC responded that the association’s letter was incomplete because it did not include a proposed party symbol, the agency reported.
The National Assembly’s Electoral Act 2026 assigns the ₦50 million administrative charge to the organization seeking registration. Under Section 75, INEC needs evidence of payment before it can process an application, and applicants must file at least 12 months before a general election.
INEC’s current register lists 22 recognized parties and excludes Wisdom Party. Its current election calendar schedules presidential and National Assembly elections for Jan. 16, 2027.
NAN’s account describes the arguments under the 2022 Electoral Act. The National Assembly repealed that law on Feb. 18, 2026; which statute Omotosho applied is unverified.
