![Hon. Festus Keyamo SAN arrives MMIA past 11:50 p.m. Feb 23 to lead oversight of Terminal 1 fire. Joined FAAN MD & team actively managing situation. Directed morning inspection Tuesday to guide restoration & confirm safety standards. Reaffirmed focus on passenger safety. Story: [link] #KeyamoMMIA #FireIncident #FAAN](https://fullcliphq.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/mym-150x150.jpg "MMIA Fire: Keyamo Inspects Lagos Airport After Terminal 1 Blaze Disrupts Flights")
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has firmly rejected allegations of dual party membership and leadership against its National Legal Adviser, Barrister Reuben Egwuaba, stating that he formally resigned from the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) in December 2025.
The party has attributed the apparent inconsistency in public records to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) failure to update its database and website.
The controversy erupted on May 3 when the Nigeria Democratic Rights Advocacy (NDRA), a civil society group, highlighted what it described as irregularities in INEC’s records. Those records reportedly listed Egwuaba as holding the position of National Legal Adviser for both the APM and the NDC, with one entry marked “by court order.”
The group argued that such dual membership would violate Section 77 of the amended Electoral Act, which prohibits it and carries penalties of up to ₦10 million in fines or two years’ imprisonment.
In a swift response posted on its official X account (@NigeriaNDCHQ), the NDC stated that Egwuaba had resigned from the APM last year and that there were no discrepancies or legal issues. The party attached scanned copies of two resignation letters dated December 4 and 5, 2025, as proof.
The first letter, written on Egwuaba Reuben & Co. letterhead, formally tendered his resignation as National Legal Adviser of the APM with effect from December 10, 2025. It expressed appreciation for the opportunity to serve since joining the party in 2019 and offered to provide future legal support if needed.
A handwritten receipt note confirmed that the letter was received on December 5, 2025, by a front desk officer at the APM national secretariat. The second letter, dated December 5, 2025, informed the Ward Chairman of the APM in Ibaji Local Government Area of Kogi State of Egwuaba’s resignation from party membership with immediate effect. It cited personal reasons while thanking the party for the experience gained. Both documents bear Egwuaba’s signature and a Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) seal for Reuben Egwuaba (SCN 073194), indicated as valid until March 2027.
INEC officials have reportedly acknowledged that Egwuaba resigned from the APM. Deputy Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Wilfred Ifogah, was quoted as saying the commission likely lacked formal notification from the party, which contributed to the outdated records.
Meanwhile, some observers, including lawyers, have questioned the authenticity of the resignation letters, particularly the NBA seal. They noted that seals are typically issued annually and valid for one year, raising doubts about a seal valid until March 2027 being used on documents from December 2025.
Critics have called on the NBA to investigate possible professional misconduct or backdating. Legal experts, however, have pointed out that Nigerian case law, including decisions such as Emechebe v. Ceto International, holds that an expired or future-dated NBA seal does not invalidate legal documents. The seal’s main purpose is to authenticate the lawyer’s identity and prevent impostors, rather than to determine the validity of the document itself. Courts generally treat such matters as irregularities that can be cured rather than fundamental defects.
The NDC was registered as a political party following a court order that compelled INEC to do so. On Sunday night, May 3, 2026, former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi and former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso formally joined the NDC after a closed-door meeting with the party’s National Leader, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, at his residence in Guzape, Abuja.
The two opposition heavyweights received NDC membership cards during the event, which party officials described as a significant step toward building a strong, litigation-free platform ahead of the 2027 general elections.
This episode has once again drawn attention to persistent challenges with INEC’s record-keeping and delays in updating its website and database – issues that have been raised by several political parties in the past. It also illustrates the intense scrutiny faced by newly registered and opposition parties in the highly polarised pre-election environment as the country prepares for the 2027 polls.
