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.
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Justice Isah Dashen delivered the ruling on Friday, holding that the court’s December 10, 2025 judgment affected the rights of the Peace Movement Party (PMP), which was not joined as a party in the suit despite claiming ownership of the logo used by the NDC in securing the judgment.
Counsel to the Peace Movement Party, C.S. Ekeocha, told journalists after the ruling that the party 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 filed.
According to him, the court agreed that the rights of the Peace Movement Party were affected by the earlier judgment and consequently vacated the decision.
“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 that the issues in dispute are effectually and completely determined,” Ekeocha said.
He explained that the ruling reverses all actions taken by INEC in compliance with the earlier judgment, including the recognition of the NDC, the issuance of its certificate of registration, its inclusion in INEC’s records and any appearance on ballot papers arising from the 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registration, its inclusion in INEC’s records, and any appearance on ballot papers arising from that judgment must be withdrawn pending the final determination of the substantive suit,” he said.
Ekeocha, however, clarified that the substantive suit remains pending before the court and has not been finally determined.
“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.
The ruling returns the dispute over the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress to the Federal High Court for a fresh hearing after all relevant parties have been joined.
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