PDP condemns court order directing INEC to deregister NDC

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned the reported judgment of the Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the National Democratic Party (NDC), describing the development as a setback for Nigeria’s democracy.

In a statement issued on Friday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, the party said it was awaiting the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment but expressed concern over what it described as the implications of the ruling.

“We have read media reports of the order of the Federal High Court, sitting in Lokoja, directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the National Democratic Party (NDC),” the statement read.

The PDP described the reported order as one that “further constricts the democratic space” in the country, arguing that it came after many Nigerians had invested resources to contest elective offices under the platform of the NDC.

“This order is not only an asphyxiation of multiparty democracy in Nigeria but also an economic crime against Nigerians who invested in the party,” the party stated.

The PDP also alleged that the development aligns with what it described as the APC-led Federal Government’s efforts to weaken opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“This situation, though activated through the court, fits neatly into the playbook of the APC-led Federal Government, which appears unwilling to allow the survival of a genuine opposition ahead of the 2027 general elections,” the statement said.

The party urged the leadership of the NDC to challenge the court order through legal means.