BREAKING: Court Sets Aside Judgment Recognising NDC as Political Party

By Osaro Michael, Benin

A Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja has nullified its earlier judgment that directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a political party.

Delivering the ruling on Friday, Justice Isah Dashen held that the previous judgment adversely affected the interests of the Peace Movement Party (PMP), which was not joined in the suit despite claiming ownership of the logo used by the NDC.

Counsel to the Peace Movement Party, C.S. Ekeocha, explained that the party approached the court after discovering that the NDC’s registration was predicated on a logo that the PMP had previously submitted to INEC before the commencement of the case.

According to Ekeocha, the court ordered all parties to return to the position they occupied before the December 10, 2025 judgment and directed the claimants to join all necessary parties to ensure that all issues in dispute are comprehensively determined.

He stated that the ruling effectively reverses every action taken by INEC based on the earlier judgment, including the recognition of the NDC, the issuance of its certificate of registration, its inclusion in INEC’s records, and any appearance on ballot papers arising from the judgment.

“The matter has not been concluded. The court merely set aside its previous judgment and directed that the party whose interests were affected be joined so that all sides can be heard before a fresh decision is reached,” Ekeocha said.

The ruling means that the dispute surrounding the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress will return to the Federal High Court for a fresh hearing, with all relevant parties expected to participate in the proceedings.