A Federal High Court in Lokoja has overturned its earlier ruling that instructed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a political party, effectively cancelling every step taken under that decision.
Delivering the judgment on Friday, Justice Isah Dashen ruled that the court’s earlier decision of December 10, 2025 affected the interests of the Peace Movement Party (PMP), despite the party not being included in the original suit.
Speaking after the ruling, counsel to the applicant, C. S. Ekeocha, explained that the Peace Movement Party approached the court after discovering that the NDC’s registration process was linked to a logo the PMP claimed it had earlier submitted to INEC before the case was filed.
According to him, the court agreed that the rights of the applicant had been impacted and decided to cancel the earlier judgment.
“The court has ordered all parties to return to the position they occupied before the judgment of December 10, 2025, and directed the claimants to join all necessary parties to ensure the issues in dispute are effectually and completely determined,” he said.
Ekeocha stated that the ruling means all actions taken by INEC in line with the now-cancelled order must be reversed.
“The recognition of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, the issuance of its certificate of registration, its inclusion in INEC’s records, and any appearance on ballot papers arising from that judgment must be withdrawn pending the final determination of the substantive suit,” Ekeocha stated.
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He clarified that the main case remains active before the court and has not yet been concluded.
“The matter has not been concluded. The court merely set aside its previous judgment and directed that the party whose interests were affected be joined so that all sides can be heard before a fresh decision is reached.”
Responding to suggestions that the court only ordered parties to maintain existing conditions, Ekeocha insisted the judgment went further by restoring the situation that existed before the December 2025 ruling.