A Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja has set aside 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 earlier judgment, delivered on December 10, 2025, affected the rights of the Peace Movement Party (PMP), which was not joined in the suit despite claiming ownership of the logo adopted by the NDC.
Counsel to the Peace Movement Party, C.S. Ekeocha, told journalists that his client approached the court after discovering that the NDC’s registration was based on a logo the PMP had earlier submitted to INEC before the commencement of the suit.
According to him, 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 the case to enable the court fully determine 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,” Ekeocha said.
He explained that the ruling effectively nullifies every action 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registration, its inclusion in INEC’s records, and any appearance on ballot papers arising from that judgment must be withdrawn pending the final determination of the substantive suit,” he added.
Ekeocha stressed that the substantive matter remains before the court, noting that the latest ruling only set aside the previous judgment to allow all parties whose interests may be affected to participate in the proceedings.
“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 said.
The ruling means the legal dispute over the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress will return to the Federal High Court in Lokoja for a fresh hearing with all relevant parties joined in the suit.
