The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has directed its candidates, members and supporters to immediately adopt its modified party logo after the Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to upload and use the new design.
The development was announced by the leader of the party, Seriake Dickson, in a statement posted on X.
Dickson said the court had ruled in favour of the NDC in a suit challenging INEC’s continued use of the old association logo.
He said the judgment was delivered by the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja and presided over by Justice J. O. Abdulmalik.
According to him, the party had taken the matter to court after its attempts to resolve the disagreement with INEC over the logo failed.
He explained that the modified logo had been approved at the party’s first National Executive Council meeting and subsequently forwarded to INEC. The electoral commission initially uploaded the modified design before later removing it and reverting to the old logo under which the association was originally registered.
“The party had, at our first NEC meeting, approved and forwarded our modified logo to INEC, which subsequently uploaded it,” Dickson said.
“However, without any reason communicated to us, INEC later removed the modified logo and insisted on using the old logo of the association, a position we disagreed with.”
The NDC leader said the party gave INEC sufficient opportunity to address the matter administratively but was eventually forced to seek judicial intervention after no corrective action was taken.
Dickson described the court decision as a vindication of the party’s position and commending the judiciary for intervening in the dispute.
“We therefore commend the judiciary for its timely intervention and welcome the judgment directing INEC to forthwith upload and utilise our modified digital logo,” he said.
He added that the judgment had helped to uphold what the party considers its legitimate position and reinforced the need for due process in resolving disputes involving political parties and the electoral commission.
Following the judgment, Dickson instructed all NDC candidates and members to stop making use of the old logo for party and campaign activities and begin transitioning to the modified version approved in the party’s constitution.
“We urge all candidates and party members to forthwith adopt and utilise the approved logo in all campaign materials, including banners, posters and other publicity materials,” he said.
The directive comes after the party had previously asked its members to continue using the old logo while discussions with INEC over the proposed change were ongoing.
In August, the NDC said it was working with INEC to replace its existing logo with a modified version, explaining that the process was being delayed by administrative procedures.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, had said the proposed modification had already been communicated to INEC after consultations involving officials of the commission and the party.
“The NDC, in consultation with INEC, have also modified our logo and notified INEC appropriately, at a meeting INEC themselves attended with us,” Director said at the time.
He had also directed candidates and members to retain the existing two-finger victory-sign logo until the engagements with INEC were concluded.
“Until then, however, we enjoin all our candidates and members to continue using the old logo, which is also the two-finger victory sign, for campaign purposes, pending the conclusion of all engagements and arrangements with INEC regarding the replacement,” he said.
The party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and vice-presidential candidate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, are among the party’s major candidates expected to lead its campaign activities, alongside its National Assembly, governorship and State House of Assembly candidates.
