The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has rejected a ruling delivered by the Federal High Court in Lokoja, Kogi State, insisting that it remains a legally registered political party and has not been deregistered despite an order setting aside an earlier judgment that compelled the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register it.
The party, in a statement signed by its National Chairman, Moses Zuwoghe, on Friday, said it would challenge the judgment at the Court of Appeal.
The NDC said the ruling arose from an application filed by the Peace Movement Party (PMP), which it described as an unregistered association unknown to the party.
According to the statement, it had secured a Federal High Court judgment in December 2025 compelling INEC to register it as a political party after the electoral body allegedly refused its application.
The party said that following its registration, it had conducted membership registration, ward, local government, state, and national congresses, held its national convention, concluded party primaries in line with INEC’s timetable, and participated in recent bye-elections in Nasarawa and Enugu states.
It added that it had already nominated candidates for the House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate, governorship, and presidential elections and was in the process of submitting their names to INEC.
“We assure the general public, and particularly our candidates at all levels, that our party is on course. The NDC has not been deregistered, and we are challenging today’s order at the Court of Appeal as soon as possible. We have no doubt that justice will be done.
“We condemn efforts by those who seek to shrink the democratic space and stifle opposition voices and alternatives. Nigerians have a right to a full range of opinions, ideas, and alternatives, and political platforms and candidates should be allowed to participate in the 2027 general election process, which has already gone midway,” it stated.
Questions Court’s Jurisdiction
The party argued that the Federal High Court had become “functus officio” after delivering its final judgment in the earlier case, insisting that the issues surrounding its registration had already been determined.
It maintained that the Peace Movement Party, which claimed it had sought registration in 2015 with the same victory sign as its proposed symbol, lacked the legal standing to seek the setting aside of the earlier judgment through a motion.
The NDC further argued that the proper legal remedy available to the association was to appeal the original judgment, adding that the time allowed for such an appeal had already expired.
The party reassured its candidates and supporters that its activities would continue uninterrupted while the appeal is being pursued.
The NDC accused unnamed interests of attempting to weaken Nigeria’s multi-party democracy by using the judiciary to frustrate opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The party maintained that Nigerians deserve a broad range of political choices and insisted that all nominations already made by the party remain valid.
It expressed confidence that the appellate court would overturn the decision and reaffirm the legality of its registration.
“It is too late for anyone to attempt to use the judiciary to derail or narrow Nigeria’s multi-party democratic space. If the said association (Peace Movement Party) were a party affected by the judgment on our initial suit, the only option open to it was to appeal the verdict, an option which it did not take.
“Even at that, the window open for such an appeal has since closed, and any such appeal by now has become statute-barred. To now try to upturn that verdict through the back door, via a motion, is not only unheard-of, but also illegal and an outright abuse of court process,” the NDC added.
The Federal High Court, Lokoja, had on Friday has set aside its earlier judgment INEC to register the NDC as a political party, effectively nullifying all actions taken pursuant to the ruling.
Justice Isah Dashen, who delivered the ruling, held that the court’s December 10, 2025, judgment adversely affected the rights of the PMP, which was not joined as a party in the suit despite claiming ownership of the logo relied upon in obtaining the judgment.
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