The Independent National Electoral Commission has said it has not yet received the Certified True Copy of the judgment delivered by the Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja, which set aside an earlier order directing it to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress as a political party.
The Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the INEC Chairman, Adedayo Oketola, disclosed this in an interview on Saturday, saying the commission was aware of media reports on the judgment but could not comment on the details until it formally receives and reviews the court’s decision.
“The Independent National Electoral Commission is aware of reports circulating in the media regarding the judgment delivered on Friday, June 26, 2026, by the Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja, which set aside an earlier order concerning the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress,” he said.
“However, as of this moment, the Commission has not yet received the Certified True Copy of the court’s order.”
According to Oketola, INEC’s legal department will study the judgment once the certified copy is received before the commission determines its next line of action.
“Once the Commission’s legal department receives and thoroughly studies the CTC of the judgment, INEC will take an informed, lawful decision in line with the court’s directives,” he added.
“Until then, we cannot comment on the specifics of the ruling, and the public is urged to await the Commission’s formal position on the matter.”
The commission’s reaction followed Friday’s ruling by Justice Isah Dashen of the Federal High Court in Lokoja, setting aside the court’s December 10, 2025 judgment, which had directed INEC to register the NDC as a political party.
The court held that the rights of the Peace Movement Party were affected by the earlier judgment because it was not joined in the suit despite claiming ownership of the logo relied upon in obtaining the registration order.
The court consequently directed parties to return to the positions they occupied before the December 2025 judgment and ordered that the substantive case be heard afresh after all necessary parties have been joined.
Following the ruling, the NDC rejected the decision and announced plans to challenge it at the Court of Appeal.
The party’s National Chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas, maintained that the NDC had not been deregistered and argued that the trial court lacked jurisdiction to revisit a matter on which it had already delivered a final judgment.
The development has also drawn reactions from opposition figures and stakeholders, including the NDC’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, the party’s National Leader, Senator Henry Dickson, and others, who described the ruling as a threat to Nigeria’s multiparty democracy.
They vowed to pursue all available legal remedies to challenge the decision.
INEC, however, said it would reserve its official position until it receives and studies the Certified True Copy of the judgment.
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