NDC Defies Deregistration Rumors: Dickson Assures 2027 Poll Participation

Senator Seriake Dickson, the national leader of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), has firmly asserted that the party remains legally recognized and that all its candidates are set to participate in the 2027 general election. This declaration comes despite a recent Federal High Court judgment in Lokoja that nullified an earlier order compelling the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the party. Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Dickson labeled the Lokoja court's decision as “irregular” and confirmed that the NDC has already initiated the appeal process.

The judgment, delivered by Justice Isah Dashen of the Federal High Court in Lokoja on Friday, set aside its own December 10, 2025 ruling which had directed INEC to register the NDC. This action by the court was prompted by an application filed by the Peace Movement Party (PMP). The PMP contended that it possessed a legal interest in the matter but was not joined in the original proceedings. Justice Dashen, in his ruling, agreed that parties with vested interests should have been included and consequently ordered a fresh hearing of the case, with all relevant parties properly joined.

Despite this judicial development, Senator Dickson, a former Bayelsa State governor, maintained that the judgment neither deregistered the NDC nor invalidated the candidacies of those who emerged from the party’s primaries. He reassured party members and candidates, stating, “I assure all our candidates and members, nominations are done at the primaries that took place at the various levels. The submission to INEC is an administrative procedure. So, the NDC is a party. The court itself did not direct its deregistration and no step has been taken whatsoever to that effect.” He urged all stakeholders to remain calm, expressing confidence that appellate courts would overturn what he described as an anomaly.

Dickson emphasized that the NDC had validly conducted primaries for State Houses of Assembly, National Assembly, governorship, and presidential elections under INEC's supervision. He argued that all nominees have therefore acquired vested legal rights. “We expect that the appeal process and the applications that will follow… will correct this matter. So, we are on course,” he stated, reiterating that all concluded nominations, monitored by INEC, remain valid and sufficient.

Further dissecting the Lokoja judgment, Dickson insisted that it merely nullified the previous order that compelled INEC to register the NDC and did not contain any positive, mandatory directive for the electoral commission to deregister the party. He argued that court orders are to be construed strictly, and if deregistration was intended, the court would have explicitly stated it. He also questioned the court’s jurisdiction to entertain the PMP's application in the first place, expressing strong confidence that the Court of Appeal would ultimately resolve the matter in the NDC’s favor.

A significant point of contention raised by Dickson was the legal standing of the Peace Movement Party itself. He categorically stated that the PMP is not a registered political party under Nigerian law and therefore lacks the legal capacity to initiate such an action. “It is actually a non-entity. It is unknown to the laws of Nigeria,” Dickson declared, further alleging that the organization had unsuccessfully sought registration in 2015 and had remained inactive, dormant, and moribund ever since. He described the proceedings initiated by the group as “frivolous,” “embarrassing,” and even a “crime” for an unregistered entity to refer to itself as a political party and engage in political activities.

Looking ahead to the 2027 general election, Senator Dickson expressed optimism about the NDC's performance, indicating that the party is open to strategic alliances to boost its electoral prospects. He also conveyed a belief that President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) are beatable in the upcoming polls, provided Nigerians unite behind a common objective. On national security, Dickson welcomed initiatives by both the executive and the National Assembly to establish state police, advocating for a broader decentralization of policing across zonal, state, and local government structures for enhanced internal security.