The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has vowed to challenge a Federal High Court judgment that set aside an earlier order directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register it as a political party, insisting it has not been deregistered.
The party’s position was backed by its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, the Tanimu Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the NDC caucus in the House of Representatives, the Obidient Movement and the Kwankwasiyya Movement, all of whom condemned the ruling and described it as a threat to Nigeria’s democracy.
The controversy followed Friday’s judgment by Justice Isah Dashen of the Federal High Court in Lokoja, Kogi State, which set aside the court’s December 10, 2025 ruling that compelled INEC to register the NDC.
Justice Dashen held that the earlier judgment affected the rights of the Peace Movement Party, which claimed ownership of the logo relied upon in securing the registration order but was not joined in the original suit.
Counsel to the applicant, C.S. Ekeocha, said the court ordered all parties to return to the position they occupied before the December 10 judgment and directed that all necessary parties be joined before the substantive suit is heard afresh.
According to him, the ruling effectively reversed actions taken by INEC pursuant to the earlier judgment, including the recognition of the NDC and the issuance of its certificate of registration, pending the determination of the substantive case.
Reacting to the verdict, NDC National Chairman, Moses Cleopas, said the party had instructed its legal team to immediately appeal the ruling.
In a statement posted on the party’s official Facebook page, Cleopas argued that the trial court lacked the jurisdiction to set aside its own final judgment through a motion, having become functus officio after delivering its earlier decision.
He also maintained that the Peace Movement Party was neither a registered political party nor a party to the registration proceedings.
“There was no order directing our deregistration. However, we are dissatisfied with the decision and have instructed our lawyers to immediately proceed to the Court of Appeal to challenge the jurisdiction and propriety of the order,” he said.
Cleopas assured party members and candidates that preparations for the 2027 general election would continue uninterrupted, insisting the party remained legally in existence.
He also accused unnamed political actors of attempting to suppress opposition parties through the courts and described the application that led to Friday’s ruling as an abuse of court process.
Peter Obi also criticised the judgment, describing it as another setback for Nigeria’s democracy and its institutions.
In a statement shared on his social media platforms, Obi said the ruling reflected a disturbing pattern of weakening democratic institutions and shrinking the political space.
“Every Nigerian committed to the country’s progress should be deeply concerned. This judgment represents another setback for our democracy and the institutions upon which our future depends,” he said.
Obi added that democracy could not thrive where institutions lost their independence and credibility, stressing that his position was guided by principle rather than political interest.
Similarly, the Tanimu Turaki-led PDP faction described the judgment as a blow to multiparty democracy, warning that it could undermine public confidence in the democratic process.
The NDC caucus in the House of Representatives also rejected the ruling, describing it as a “judicial coup against democracy” and vowing to challenge it up to the Supreme Court if necessary.
The lawmakers argued that the statutory period for challenging the party’s registration had already expired and questioned why INEC was not the party pursuing the latest proceedings.
Supporters of Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso also condemned the judgment, alleging that it formed part of efforts to weaken the opposition ahead of the 2027 elections.
While expressing confidence that the ruling would be overturned on appeal, the opposition groups warned against actions capable of narrowing the democratic space or creating a one-party state in Nigeria.
