Lokoja, Kogi State — June 26, 2026
The Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja, Kogi State, has nullified its earlier judgment directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a political party, ordering that the matter be heard afresh with all relevant parties joined in the suit.
The ruling, delivered on Friday by Justice Isah Dashen, represents a significant development in Nigeria's evolving political landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The court held that its previous judgment of December 10, 2025, was constitutionally defective because it was delivered without hearing from all parties whose interests were directly affected by the case.
Justice Dashen ruled that the Peace Movement Party (PMP), which filed an application seeking to be joined in the matter, was a necessary party and should have been heard before any substantive decision was reached.
According to the court, the omission violated the principles of fair hearing and rendered the earlier proceedings null and void.
"The interests of all affected parties must be adequately represented before a matter of such significance can be conclusively determined," the judge held, ordering a restoration of the status quo that existed before the December 2025 judgment.
The court further directed that the substantive suit recommence with INEC, the NDC, and the PMP participating as parties to ensure a comprehensive determination of all issues in dispute.
Legal counsel to the Peace Movement Party, Chikezie Ekeocha, told journalists after the ruling that his client approached the court after discovering that the NDC's registration process allegedly involved a logo previously submitted to INEC by the PMP.
He maintained that the court agreed that the rights and interests of his client had been adversely affected by the earlier judgment.
"The court has ordered all parties to return to the position they occupied before the judgment of 10 December 2025 and directed that all necessary parties be joined so that the issues can be effectually and completely determined," Ekeocha stated.
He explained that every action taken by INEC in compliance with the now-vacated judgment, including the issuance of registration certificates and the inclusion of the NDC in official electoral records, stands reversed pending the outcome of the fresh proceedings.
The lawyer, however, emphasized that the substantive case remains alive and has not been finally determined.
"This matter has not been concluded. The court merely set aside its earlier decision to ensure that everyone whose interests are affected has an opportunity to be heard before a fresh judgment is delivered," he said.
Political observers say the development introduces fresh uncertainty regarding the status of candidates already associated with the NDC, including its presidential standard-bearer for the 2027 elections.
Neither INEC nor the leadership of the NDC had issued an official reaction as of press time.
The ruling comes amid heightened judicial scrutiny of Nigeria's party system. Earlier this month, the Court of Appeal halted the enforcement of a Federal High Court judgment that ordered the deregistration of five opposition parties, underscoring the growing legal battles shaping the country's democratic process.
With a fresh hearing now ordered, the future legal standing of the NDC will depend on the arguments and evidence presented by all parties when proceedings resume in the Federal High Court.
For now, the dispute over the party's registration returns to square one, setting the stage for another major legal contest with significant implications for the build-up to the 2027 elections.
Wahala
ReplyDelete