A Federal High Court has nullified the NDC registration judgment, directing parties back to status quo and ordering a fresh hearing involving all stakeholders.
The controversy surrounding the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) registration has taken a dramatic turn after a Federal High Court in Lokoja set aside its earlier judgment that directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register NDC as a political party.
In a ruling delivered on Friday, Justice Isah Dashen nullified the previous decision after determining that the interests of another political organisation, the Peace Movement Party (PMP), were affected by the judgment despite not being included as a party in the suit.
The decision represents a major setback in the NDC registration process and effectively returns all parties involved to the positions they occupied before the court’s original judgment of December 10, 2025.
The legal dispute emerged after the Peace Movement Party challenged aspects of the registration process, particularly the use of a logo it claimed had earlier been submitted to INEC before the commencement of the litigation that eventually resulted in the NDC being recognised.
Counsel to the Peace Movement Party, C.S. Ekeocha, told journalists that his client approached the court after discovering that the NDC registration was linked to a logo allegedly belonging to PMP.
According to him, the court agreed that the party’s rights may have been affected and therefore deserved to be heard before any final determination could be made.
He explained that the court ordered all parties to return to the status quo that existed before the December 2025 judgment.
The court also directed the claimants to join all necessary parties in the suit to ensure that every issue in contention is fully examined and determined.
Legal observers say the ruling reinforces the principle of fair hearing, which requires that any person or organisation whose rights may be affected by a court decision must be given an opportunity to present their case.
Ekeocha further stated that every action taken by INEC following the earlier judgment has now been reversed.
This includes the recognition of the NDC as a political party, the issuance of any registration certificate, its inclusion in official electoral records, and any other administrative actions linked to the previous court order.
According to him, the effect of the ruling is that the NDC registration can no longer be relied upon until the substantive case is heard and determined with all interested parties participating in the proceedings.
He stressed that the court did not make a final decision on whether the NDC should or should not be registered. Rather, the court merely set aside its previous judgment to allow all affected stakeholders to be properly represented in the matter.
“The case remains before the court. What has happened is that the earlier judgment has been vacated and the affected party will now be joined so that all sides can be heard before a fresh decision is reached,” he said.
The latest development means that the legal battle over the NDC registration is far from over. The matter is expected to return before the Federal High Court, where a fresh hearing will be conducted with all relevant parties participating.
Political analysts believe the outcome of the case could have wider implications for party registration disputes and electoral processes in Nigeria.
They argue that the decision highlights the importance of transparency, due process, and stakeholder participation in matters affecting the country’s democratic system.
For now, the future of the NDC remains uncertain as the court prepares to revisit the substantive issues surrounding its registration and the competing claims over its party identity and logo.
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