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 affected the legal interests of the Peace Movement Party (PMP), which was not joined as a party 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 the party approached the court after discovering that the NDC’s registration was based on a logo the PMP had previously submitted to INEC before the commencement of the suit.
According to Ekeocha, the court ordered all parties to revert to the positions they occupied before the judgment delivered on December 10, 2025, and directed the claimants to join all necessary parties to enable the court to effectively and completely 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,” he said.
Ekeocha explained that the ruling effectively reverses all actions taken by INEC pursuant to the earlier judgment.
He stated that 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its inclusion in INEC’s records, and any appearance on ballot papers arising from the earlier judgment must be withdrawn pending the final determination of the substantive suit.
He stressed that the substantive case remains pending 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,” Ekeocha added.
With the ruling, the dispute over the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress will return to the Federal High Court for a fresh hearing with all relevant parties joined in the proceedings.
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