A Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja, Kogi State, has set aside its earlier judgment that ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a political party, ruling that the previous decision was constitutionally defective because all parties affected by the case were not given an opportunity to be heard.
Justice Isah Dashen, who delivered the ruling on Friday, held that the earlier judgment issued on December 10, 2025, failed to include the Peace Movement Party (PMP), despite the party claiming that its legal rights were directly affected by the registration of the NDC. The court ruled that the omission violated the principles of fair hearing and rendered the earlier judgment null and void.
The court consequently ordered that the status quo be restored to what it was before the December 2025 judgment, pending a fresh hearing of the case. It also directed that the substantive suit should begin afresh with INEC, the Peace Movement Party, and the Nigeria Democratic Congress all joined as necessary parties.
Counsel to the Peace Movement Party, Chikezie Ekeocha, told journalists after the ruling that his client approached the court after discovering that the logo used by the NDC had allegedly been submitted earlier by the PMP during its own registration process with INEC. According to him, the court agreed that the party's interests had been affected without being represented in the original proceedings.
Ekeocha explained that the latest ruling means every action taken by INEC based on the now-vacated judgment—including the issuance of a certificate of registration to the NDC, its inclusion in INEC's register of political parties, and any electoral recognition flowing from that judgment—must be suspended until the substantive case is finally determined.
The lawyer, however, clarified that the court did not determine whether the NDC is legally qualified to be registered as a political party. Rather, the judgment simply restores the legal process by ensuring that all interested parties are heard before a fresh decision is made.
The ruling is expected to have significant political implications as preparations for Nigeria's 2027 general elections continue, with ongoing legal challenges surrounding the registration of emerging political parties. Separate lawsuits questioning the legality of the NDC's registration are also pending before the courts.
Twisdic Info Insight: The court's decision does not permanently deregister the Nigeria Democratic Congress. Instead, it nullifies the earlier judgment that compelled INEC to register the party and orders a fresh hearing where all affected parties will be allowed to present their cases before the court reaches a final decision.