…The NDC urged its supporters and candidates to continue preparations for the 2027 elections, insisting that its registration remains valid
FRI JUNE 26 2026-theGBJournal|The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) on Friday dismissed a ruling by the Federal High Court in Lokoja that purportedly set aside an earlier judgment compelling the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the party.
NDC described the ruling as legally flawed and vowed to challenge it immediately at the Court of Appeal.
In a statement issued after the ruling seen by theG&BJournal, the opposition party argued that the application was brought by the Peace Movement Party (PMP), which it described as an unregistered association with no legal standing to seek the reversal of a final judgment.
The NDC maintained that the court’s latest order neither directed its deregistration nor affected its ongoing participation in Nigeria’s electoral process, insisting it remains a duly registered political party preparing for the 2027 general elections.
The dispute stems from a December 2025 judgment in which the Federal High Court ordered INEC to register the NDC after finding that the electoral commission had violated the association’s constitutional right to freedom of association by refusing its registration.
Following that ruling, INEC registered the party, enabling it to commence nationwide membership registration, conduct congresses from ward to national levels, hold its national convention and complete primary elections for offices ranging from state assemblies to the presidency in line with the electoral timetable.
According to the NDC, the party has since actively participated in INEC’s political activities, including fielding candidates in recent bye-elections in Nasarawa and Enugu states, while preparing to formally submit its candidates for the 2027 elections.
The party questioned the legal basis of Friday’s ruling, arguing that the Peace Movement Party is neither a registered political party nor an association participating in INEC’s current registration exercise.
It said the group relied on a motion—not a substantive lawsuit or appeal—claiming that it had unsuccessfully sought registration in 2015 using the “victory” sign as its proposed symbol.
NDC contended that the issue of party symbols and colours had already been fully determined in the December 2025 judgment, with the court rejecting objections raised by INEC at the time.
NDC argued that because the court had delivered a final judgment, it had become functus officio—meaning it no longer possessed jurisdiction to reopen or revisit the matter in the absence of a successful appeal.
The party also challenged the court’s decision to recognise the Peace Movement Party as having locus standi, or the legal right to bring the application, despite not being a registered political party or an applicant in the current registration process.
It said the ruling effectively sought to reopen a concluded case without any appeal against the original judgment, a move its lawyers consider procedurally unsustainable.
“Our party has not been deregistered,” the NDC said, adding that its legal team had already received instructions to file an appeal challenging both the jurisdiction of the court and the propriety of the order.
It expressed confidence that the appellate court would overturn the decision and reaffirm its legal status.
The party further accused unnamed political interests of attempting to use the courts to narrow Nigeria’s democratic space by frustrating emerging opposition platforms ahead of the 2027 elections.
While stopping short of directly alleging judicial misconduct, the NDC suggested the latest application reflected efforts to obtain orders capable of disrupting its electoral preparations despite the absence of a substantive appeal against the earlier judgment.
Court orders obtained through ex parte applications or post-judgment motions have frequently generated controversy in Nigeria’s politically charged legal environment, with critics often questioning whether some litigants engage in forum shopping or seek favourable rulings from courts perceived to be outside the core dispute.
Such allegations have featured prominently in past election-related litigation, although the judiciary has consistently maintained that judges decide cases based on the law and evidence before them.
The NDC urged its supporters and candidates to continue preparations for the 2027 elections, insisting that its registration remains valid pending the outcome of its appeal and reaffirming its commitment to participating fully in the country’s democratic process.
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