BREAKING: COURT NULLIFIES JUDGMENT RECOGNISING NDC AS A POLITICAL PARTY
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By:Tajudeen Aminat
A Federal High Court in Lokoja has overturned its earlier judgment directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a political party.
Delivering the ruling on Friday, Justice Isah Dashen held that the previous judgment adversely affected the rights of the Peace Movement Party (PMP), which was not joined in the suit despite laying claim to the logo adopted by the NDC.
Counsel to the Peace Movement Party, C.S. Ekeocha, explained that the party approached the court after discovering that the NDC’s registration was predicated on a logo that PMP had earlier submitted to INEC before the commencement of the suit.
According to Ekeocha, the court ordered all parties to revert to the status quo that existed before the December 10, 2025 judgment and directed the claimants to join all necessary parties to ensure a comprehensive determination of the issues in dispute.
“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 effectually and completely determined,” he said.
He noted that the ruling effectively reverses all actions taken by INEC pursuant to the earlier judgment.
“The recognition of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, the issuance of its certificate of registration, its inclusion in INEC’s records, and any appearance on ballot papers arising from that judgment must be withdrawn pending the final determination of the substantive suit,” Ekeocha stated.
He, however, emphasized that the substantive matter remains before the court.
“The matter has not been concluded. The court merely set aside its previous judgment and directed that the party whose interests were affected be joined so that all sides can be heard before a fresh decision is reached,” he added.
With the latest ruling, the dispute surrounding the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress will return to the Federal High Court for a fresh hearing, with all relevant parties expected to participate in the proceedings.
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