- A Federal High Court in Lokoja has set aside its order directing INEC to register the NDC
- The court ruled that the Peace Movement Party was not heard before the earlier judgment
- The case will now return to court for a fresh hearing with all parties involved
A Federal High Court in Lokoja, Kogi State, has nullified its earlier judgment directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a political party.
In a ruling delivered on Friday, Eko Hot Blog gathered that Justice Isah Dashen held that the court’s previous judgment, delivered on December 10, 2025, affected the rights of the Peace Movement Party, which was not included as a party in the original suit.
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The Peace Movement Party had challenged the decision, claiming ownership of the logo used by the NDC to secure the court order that led to its registration by INEC.
Speaking to journalists after the ruling, counsel to the applicant, C.S. Ekeocha, explained that his client approached the court after discovering that the NDC’s registration was based on a logo it had earlier submitted to INEC before the case was instituted.
He said the court agreed that the party’s rights were affected because it was not given an opportunity to participate in the proceedings before the earlier judgment was delivered.
Justice Dashen subsequently set aside the previous judgment and ordered that all parties with an interest in the matter be joined before the case proceeds.
According to Ekeocha, the court directed all parties to return to the positions they occupied before the December 10, 2025 judgment.
“The court has ordered all parties to return to the position they occupied before the judgment of December 10, 2025, and directed the claimants to join all necessary parties to ensure the issues in dispute are effectively and completely determined,” he said.
The lawyer noted that the ruling effectively reverses every action taken by INEC based on the earlier judgment.
He explained that the recognition of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, the issuance of its certificate of registration, its inclusion in INEC’s official records and any participation in elections arising from the previous judgment can no longer stand until the case is finally determined.
Ekeocha, however, clarified that the substantive case remains before the court and has not been concluded.
He stressed that the court only vacated its earlier decision because a party whose interests were directly affected was not heard before the judgment was delivered.
“The matter has not been concluded. The court merely set aside its previous judgment and directed that the affected party be joined so that every interested party can be heard before a fresh decision is made,” he said.
He also dismissed suggestions that the court merely ordered parties to maintain the status quo, insisting that the ruling specifically restored the legal position that existed before the December 10, 2025 judgment.
With the latest ruling, the dispute over the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress returns to the Federal High Court for a fresh hearing, where all relevant parties are expected to participate before a new judgment is delivered.
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