NDC heads to Appeal Court over judgment vacating its registration

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has said it will challenge at the Court of Appeal the Federal High Court ruling that set aside its earlier judgment compelling the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register it as a political party.

In a statement signed on Friday by its National Chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas Zuwoghe, the party said it was dissatisfied with the ruling delivered on Friday by Justice Isah Dashen of the Federal High Court in Lokoja on an application filed by the Peace Movement Party (PMP), describing the decision as legally flawed.

The NDC recalled that the court had, in December 2025, upheld its constitutional right to freedom of association and ordered INEC to register it as a political party. Since then, it said it had carried out political activities, registered members, conducted congresses and conventions, concluded primaries and participated in INEC activities, including recent by-elections in Nasarawa and Enugu states.

The party argued that the Peace Movement Party is neither a registered political party nor an association currently seeking registration under INEC’s ongoing registration exercise. It also maintained that the court had become functus officio after delivering its final judgment in the matter and therefore lacked jurisdiction to set aside its earlier decision.

According to the NDC, the court did not order its deregistration, adding that its candidates for the House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate, governorship, presidential and vice-presidential elections had already been nominated and were being prepared for submission to INEC in line with the electoral timetable.

“We assure the general public, and particularly our candidates at all levels, that our party is on course. The NDC has not been deregistered, and we are challenging today’s order at the Court of Appeal as soon as possible. We have no doubt that justice will be done,” the statement read.

The party also accused unnamed interests of attempting to shrink Nigeria’s democratic space by using the judiciary to stifle opposition voices, insisting that political parties and candidates should be allowed to participate freely in the 2027 general elections.

The NDC thanked its members, supporters and candidates for their confidence in the party, assuring them that all nominations made remained valid and expressing confidence that the Court of Appeal would overturn the ruling.