A Federal High Court in Lokoja has set aside its December 2025 judgment that compelled INEC to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress as a political party. The NDC plans to appeal the ruling and insists it remains registered. Multiple opposition figures have rejected the decision.
Justice Isah Dashen delivered the ruling on Friday. The court held that the earlier judgment affected the rights of the Peace Movement Party, which was not joined in the suit. INEC stated it would act after receiving the certified true copy of the judgment.
The NDC national chairman, Sen. Moses Cleopas, said the party would immediately challenge the decision at the Court of Appeal. He noted that the ruling did not order deregistration and that the party had already conducted primaries and nominated candidates for the 2027 elections.
Peter Obi, the NDC presidential candidate, described the ruling as another setback for democracy. Omoyele Sowore and the PDP also condemned the decision, calling for opposition unity ahead of the 2027 polls.
