NDC Deregistration Rocked: Political Party Fights for Survival After Court Verdict

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has vehemently rejected a recent ruling by the Federal High Court in Lokoja, which set aside an earlier judgment that compelled the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register it as a political party. The party insists that it has not been deregistered and has vowed to challenge the decision immediately at the Court of Appeal.

Justice Isah Dashen of the Federal High Court on Friday set aside the court’s December 2025 judgment that had previously directed INEC to register the NDC. The core of the new ruling was based on an application by the Peace Movement Party (PMP), which claimed ownership of the logo adopted by the NDC and argued that its rights were affected because it was not joined as a party in the initial suit. Justice Dashen held that the earlier judgment was constitutionally defective due to the omission of a necessary party and the suppression of certain material facts. Consequently, the court ordered that the status quo existing before the December 2025 judgment be restored, pending a fresh hearing where all relevant parties—INEC, PMP, and NDC—would be joined.

The implication of this ruling, as explained by PMP's counsel, C.S. Ekeocha, is that all actions taken by INEC pursuant to the now-vacated judgment, including the recognition and registration of the NDC, the issuance of its certificate of registration, its inclusion in INEC’s records, and any appearance on ballot papers, are reversed. The substantive case is to be heard afresh. Ekeocha emphasized that the court did not merely order parties to maintain the status quo but specifically directed a restoration to the pre-December 10, 2025 position.

The NDC, through its National Chairman, Moses Zuwoghe, expressed surprise at the court’s decision. The party highlighted its active political life since its registration following the December 2025 judgment, including commencing political activities, registering members, conducting congresses from ward to national levels, holding conventions, concluding primaries for elective offices in line with INEC’s timetable, and even fielding candidates in recent bye-elections in Nasarawa and Enugu states, as well as nominating candidates for the upcoming 2027 general elections. The NDC argued that the Federal High Court had become ‘functus officio’ after delivering its final judgment against INEC and had already addressed issues related to the party’s logo and colours. They contended that the PMP, described as an unregistered association unknown to the NDC, lacked the locus standi to bring such an application. Zuwoghe firmly stated that the latest ruling did not expressly order the party’s deregistration and affirmed their immediate intent to appeal, assuring members and the public that the party is on course and all nominations remain valid.

Reactions from other political stakeholders quickly followed. The media office of the NDC presidential candidate, Peter Obi, described the Lokoja High Court judgment as a “temporary setback,” assuring supporters that the decision would be legally challenged. The Peter Obi Media Reach (POMR), through its spokesperson Idris Zekeri Jnr, urged calm and stated that the legal team was reviewing the judgment to initiate corrective and appellate measures, viewing the ruling as a brief obstacle in their bid to challenge the political establishment.

Paul Ibe, an aide to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, seized on the ruling as a “wake-up call” for opposition leaders like Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso to unite ahead of the 2027 elections. In a post on X, Ibe alleged that President Bola Tinubu was pursuing a de facto one-party state, intending to “obliterate the opposition” and warning that Nigeria’s democracy was under threat. He stressed that it was not too late for opposition parties to harmonize their strengths.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) also condemned the court’s order as a “setback for Nigeria’s democracy,” stating that it further constricts the democratic space. Through its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, the PDP expressed concern for Nigerians who had invested resources to aspire to various elective offices under the NDC platform, calling the order an “asphyxiation of multiparty democracy” and an “economic crime.” The PDP alleged that the development aligns with efforts by the ruling APC-led Federal Government to weaken the opposition ahead of the 2027 general elections and urged the NDC to challenge the order legally.

The controversy surrounding the NDC’s registration status arrives amid a broader context of legal battles concerning political parties. Weeks prior, the Federal High Court in Abuja had ordered the deregistration of five other political parties, though this enforcement was later halted by the Court of Appeal. These judicial decisions intensify the political climate as affected parties present candidates and campaign for the 2027 elections, leaving the immediate status of NDC candidates, including its presidential flag-bearer Peter Obi, in an uncertain position pending further appellate court determinations.