The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has rejected a ruling of the Federal High Court in Lokoja setting aside an earlier judgment that led to its registration as a political party, insisting that it remains legally recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and has commenced legal action to overturn the decision.
The party, in a statement signed by its National Chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas Zuwoghe, described the ruling delivered by Justice Isah Dashen as legally flawed and announced that its lawyers had been instructed to immediately file an appeal challenging both the court’s jurisdiction and the propriety of the order.
According to the NDC, the ruling followed an application brought by an association known as the Peace Movement Party (PMP), which it said is neither a registered political party nor an association participating in the current registration exercise being conducted by INEC.
“Our party is on course. The NDC has not been deregistered, and we are challenging today’s order at the Court of Appeal as soon as possible. We have no doubt that justice will be done,” the statement read.
The party explained that its journey to registration began in December 2025 when, as an association, it sued INEC over the electoral body’s refusal to register it as a political party. It said the Federal High Court ruled in its favour, affirming its constitutional right to freedom of association and directing INEC to register it.
Following that judgment, the NDC said it had fully integrated into Nigeria’s political process, registering members nationwide, conducting congresses from the ward level to the national convention, organising party primaries, and participating in INEC activities without restriction.
The party also noted that it fielded candidates in the recent bye-elections held in Nasarawa and Enugu states and has already nominated candidates for the House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate, governorship, presidential and vice-presidential elections ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The NDC argued that the Peace Movement Party’s application lacked merit, maintaining that the group based its claim on an alleged attempt to register as a political party in 2015 using the “victory sign” as its symbol.
According to the NDC, the association did not file a substantive appeal against the December 2025 judgment but instead sought, through a motion, to have the court set aside its own final decision.
“The Peace Movement Party is not a registered political party in Nigeria,” the statement said. “They claimed, in a motion—not even a substantive suit or appeal—that the court should set aside its earlier judgment on the purported ground that, in 2015, they had sought registration as a political party with the victory sign as their symbol and were denied.”
The party contended that Justice Dashen had become functus officio after delivering the earlier judgment, arguing that the court had exhausted its jurisdiction over the matter. It further stated that issues relating to the use of its party symbol and colours had already been determined in the original case and that no appeal had been lodged against that decision.
“It is surprising that an association which is neither a registered political party nor participating in the current political process was held to have locus standi, and that the court assumed jurisdiction to revisit a matter that had already been conclusively determined,” the statement added.
While acknowledging that the court reportedly set aside its earlier judgment, the NDC stressed that there was no order directing its deregistration by INEC.
“There was no order directing our deregistration,” the party stated, insisting that all nominations already made by its candidates remain valid pending the outcome of the appeal.
The party also accused unnamed individuals of attempting to undermine Nigeria’s democracy by using the judiciary to weaken opposition politics.
“We condemn efforts by those who seek to shrink the democratic space and stifle opposition voices and alternatives,” the statement said. “Nigerians have a right to a full range of opinions, ideas and alternatives, and political platforms and candidates should be allowed to participate in the 2027 general election process.”
The NDC further argued that if the Peace Movement Party believed it was adversely affected by the original judgment, its proper legal remedy would have been to appeal within the prescribed time.
“If the said association were a party affected by the judgment on our initial suit, the only option open to it was to appeal the verdict,” the party maintained. “To now try to upturn that verdict through the back door, via a motion, is not only unheard of, but also illegal and an outright abuse of court process.”
Reaffirming confidence in the judiciary, the NDC expressed optimism that the Court of Appeal would overturn the Lokoja ruling.
The party thanked its members, candidates and supporters for their continued confidence, assuring them that its political platform remains intact and that it would continue preparations for the 2027 general elections while pursuing legal redress.