Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has rejected the ruling of the Federal High Court in Lokoja concerning its legal status, insisting that the party was duly registered by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and announced plans to challenge the decision at the Court of Appeal.
In a statement issued on Friday and signed by its National Chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas Zuwoghe, the party said it was dissatisfied with the ruling delivered by Justice Isah Dashen on an application filed by an unregistered association known as the Peace Movement Party (PMP).
According to the NDC, it secured a Federal High Court judgment in December 2025 compelling the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register it as a political party after the commission initially refused its application.
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“The Federal High Court upheld our constitutional right to freedom of association under the Constitution and compelled INEC to register us, which INEC did,” the party said.
The NDC stated that since its registration, it had carried out political activities nationwide, including membership registration, ward, local government, state, and national congresses, conventions, and party primaries in line with INEC’s timetable.
It also said it participated in the recent bye-elections in Nasarawa and Enugu states and had nominated candidates for the House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate, governorship, presidential, and vice-presidential elections ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The party described the Peace Movement Party as an unknown and unregistered association, arguing that it lacked the legal standing to seek the reversal of the earlier judgment.
“The association that filed the complaint is unknown to us. The Peace Movement Party (PMP) is not a registered political party in Nigeria. 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 statement read.
The NDC maintained that the trial court had become functus officio after delivering its final judgment in December 2025 and therefore lacked jurisdiction to revisit the matter.
“Accordingly, we have been informed that His Lordship made an order setting aside the court’s earlier decision of December 2025.
“There was no order directing our deregistration. However, we are dissatisfied with the decision that has been made, and we have instructed our team of lawyers to immediately proceed to the Court of Appeal to challenge the jurisdiction and propriety of His Lordship’s order”, the statement noted.
The party reassured its members and candidates that its political activities remained valid despite the court ruling.
“We assure the general public, and particularly our candidates at all levels, that 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 NDC also accused unnamed persons of attempting to use the judiciary to weaken opposition politics ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“We condemn efforts by those who seek to shrink the democratic space and stifle opposition voices and alternatives. 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, which has already gone midway.”
The party argued that if the Peace Movement Party believed it was affected by the December 2025 judgment, its proper legal remedy would have been to file an appeal within the statutory period rather than seek to overturn the judgment through a motion.
“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,” it stated.
The NDC thanked its members and supporters for their continued confidence, insisting that all nominations already conducted remained valid and expressing confidence that the appellate court would overturn the ruling.
The Federal High Court’s ruling has generated debate over the legal status of the NDC, with the party maintaining that the judgment merely set aside an earlier decision and did not amount to its deregistration. The matter is expected to be determined by the Court of Appeal.