Court Cancels NDC Registration Ruling
A Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja on Friday set aside its earlier judgment that directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a political party after ruling that another political party was not given the opportunity to participate in the case.
Justice Isah Dashen held that the earlier judgment affected the interests of the Peace Movement Party (PMP), which claimed ownership of the logo adopted by the NDC. The court ruled that since the PMP was not joined in the suit, the earlier decision could not stand.
Counsel to the Peace Movement Party, C.S. Ekeocha, said his client approached the court after discovering that the NDC’s application for registration relied on a logo the PMP had already submitted to INEC before the legal action began.
Following the ruling, the court directed all parties to return to the position they occupied before the judgment delivered on December 10, 2025. It also ordered that all parties with interests in the matter be joined in the case so every issue can be properly determined.
The lawyer explained that the decision means every action taken by INEC based on the earlier judgment has been reversed. This includes the registration of the NDC, the issuance of its certificate, its inclusion in the electoral commission’s records, and any participation arising from that judgment until the case is finally decided.
He also stated that the legal dispute has not been concluded, adding that the court only cancelled its previous judgment to allow all affected parties to be heard before reaching a fresh decision.
With the latest ruling, the dispute over the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress will return to the Federal High Court for a new hearing with all necessary parties participating in the proceedings.