Court Sets Aside Judgment Recognising NDC As Political Party

A Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja has nullified its earlier judgment that recognised the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a registered political party, ordering that the matter be heard afresh with all interested parties included in the proceedings.

Justice Isah Dashen ruled that the previous judgment could not stand because the Peace Movement Party (PMP), which claims ownership of the logo being used by the NDC, was not joined as a party in the original suit.

Speaking to journalists after the ruling, counsel to the PMP, C.S. Ekeocha, explained that the party approached the court after discovering that the NDC’s registration was based on a logo it had previously submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before the legal action began.

According to Ekeocha, the court directed that all parties be returned to the positions they occupied before the judgment delivered on December 10, 2025. The court also ordered the claimants to include all necessary parties in the case so that every issue surrounding the dispute can be properly determined.

He stated that the ruling effectively invalidates all actions taken by INEC based on the earlier judgment, including the recognition of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, the issuance of its certificate of registration, its inclusion in the commission’s official records, and any appearance of the party on ballot papers.

However, Ekeocha clarified that the court did not determine the substantive dispute over the NDC’s registration. According to him, the latest decision simply sets aside the previous judgment to allow every affected party the opportunity to present its case before the court.

With the ruling, the legal battle over the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress will now return to the Federal High Court, where the matter will be heard afresh with all relevant parties participating in the proceedings.