The National Chairman of the Citizens Democratic Alliance (CDA), Tamunotonye S. S. Inioribo, has said the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) appeal against a Federal High Court judgment ordering the registration of the party will not derail its efforts to participate in Nigeria’s political process.
Inioribo said this in a broadcast to members of the party on August 21, following INEC’s August 5 appeal against the Federal High Court judgment that ordered the commission to issue CDA a certificate of registration.
He described the appeal as an attempt to delay the party’s registration and distract its members, insisting that CDA was prepared to defend the judgment through the appellate courts, including the Supreme Court if necessary. Inioribo said the party’s position was strengthened by what he described as admissions made by INEC in its own court filings during the initial litigation.
According to him, INEC had alleged that CDA’s headquarters in Gwarimpa, Abuja, did not meet its requirements but also admitted in its sworn affidavit that the party had satisfied the items on its checklist. He said CDA had also been pre-qualified alongside 13 other applicants from 176 applications, received provisional approval and paid administrative fees before INEC subsequently declined to register it.
Inioribo further cited Section 75(4) of the Electoral Act 2022, which, according to him, provides that an applicant is deemed registered where INEC fails to respond within the prescribed 60-day period.
He said the party would rely on existing judicial precedents in defending its position, adding that CDA was prepared to pursue the matter to the highest court. The CDA chairman said the party believed INEC’s decision to appeal was connected to its proposed political reforms, including a return to the parliamentary system, state police, devolution of powers, economic restructuring, improved healthcare, housing and education.
He said CDA’s June 30, 2026 press briefing outlining those proposals had “rattled” political interests opposed to its emergence.
“They know if a party like CDA that talks like this is registered, their time of sharing money without making money is over. So they are using INEC to stop the inevitable,” he said.
Inioribo, however, urged CDA members not to be distracted by the legal battle, saying the party would limit its media activities while concentrating on the litigation.
“While this case is in court, CDA may not make too much noise in the media. We are focusing on winning the litigation. Silent work, just like we did while prosecuting the case at the Federal High Court,” he said.
He called on Nigerians interested in the party’s political agenda to join and financially support the organisation through its digital membership platform.
According to him, CDA does not have a political godfather and intends to rely on membership contributions and donations to fund its activities.
“We have no godfather; we don’t need any. We have you. Your N1,000 monthly dues is bigger than their billions because it is clean,” he said.
Inioribo also disclosed that the party’s website and membership portal could now be accessed in English, Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo, saying the move was aimed at making its political message accessible to Nigerians across linguistic backgrounds. He urged party members to remain calm and mobilised while the case progresses, insisting that the appeal would not stop CDA from pursuing its political objectives.
“They can delay us, but they cannot stop us,” he said.