The Certified True Copy of the Federal High Court judgment nullifying the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, has emerged, providing fresh clarity on the legal battle surrounding the party’s status.
The judgment, delivered by Justice Isa H. Dashen at the Federal High Court, Lokoja Judicial Division, effectively set aside the court’s earlier ruling of December 10, 2025, which had compelled the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to register the NDC as a political party.
According to the court, the earlier judgment was nullified because it affected the legal rights of the Peace Movement Party, PMP, which claimed ownership of the logo adopted by the NDC but was not joined as a party in the original suit.
The court held that the failure to include the Peace Movement Party in the proceedings amounted to a fundamental legal defect, thereby warranting the reversal of the previous judgment.
Meanwhile, INEC says it is awaiting official documentation before making a final pronouncement on the matter.
The National Commissioner and Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, stated on Saturday that the commission had applied for the Certified True Copy of the judgment and would study its contents before responding officially.
“We have applied for the Certified True Copy of the judgment. Until we receive it, we cannot be in a position to comment on it. However, the position that existed before the December 10, 2025 judgment was that INEC rejected NDC’s letter of intent to be registered as a political party,” Haruna explained.
The legal development comes amid growing concerns within the NDC over its participation in preparations for the 2027 general elections.
The party had earlier disclosed that it was denied access codes required to upload the names of its candidates to INEC’s portal, a development that could significantly affect its electoral readiness.
Confirming the issue, NDC National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, said the party’s attempt to obtain the required credentials from the electoral body was unsuccessful.
“We approached INEC to collect the access code to upload the names of our candidates to the INEC portal. They told us that they will get back to us,” Director said.
The latest court ruling means the dispute over the NDC’s registration is far from over, as all parties are expected to return to court for a fresh hearing with all relevant stakeholders properly joined in the suit.
