A Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja has overturned its previous judgment that directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a political party, paving the way for a fresh hearing on the matter.
The court ruled that the earlier decision was reached without hearing all parties whose interests were directly affected by the case, making the judgment constitutionally defective.
Court Sets Aside Earlier NDC Registration Judgment
Delivering judgment on Friday, Justice Isah Dashen held that all relevant parties must be given an opportunity to participate in the proceedings before any substantive decision can be made.
The court upheld an application filed by the Peace Movement Party (PMP), which sought to be joined in the suit on the grounds that its interests were affected by the earlier ruling.
According to Justice Dashen, the failure to hear all necessary parties rendered the previous judgment invalid.
He ruled that the omission undermined the fairness of the proceedings and justified setting aside the judgment delivered in December 2025.
Status Quo Restored Pending Fresh Determination
The court further ordered that the status quo existing before the December 10, 2025 judgment be restored pending the final determination of the substantive suit.
Justice Dashen also noted that certain material facts were allegedly not disclosed during the earlier proceedings, a factor that contributed to the decision to vacate the judgment.
As part of the ruling, the court directed that the substantive case should begin afresh with INEC, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), and the Peace Movement Party (PMP) participating as parties in the matter.
PMP Challenges NDC Registration
Speaking after the ruling, counsel to the applicant, Chikezie Ekeocha, explained that the Peace Movement Party approached the court after discovering that the NDC’s registration process allegedly involved a logo previously submitted to INEC by the PMP before the commencement of the suit.
According to him, the court agreed that the applicant’s interests had been affected and therefore deserved to be heard before any final determination could be made.
“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 completely determined,” Ekeocha said.
INEC Actions Based on Earlier Judgment Reversed
Ekeocha stated that the court’s decision effectively reverses all actions taken by INEC in compliance with the now-vacated judgment.
According to him, the recognition of the NDC, issuance of its certificate of registration, inclusion in INEC’s official records, and any appearance on election ballot papers arising from the previous ruling must be withdrawn pending the outcome of the fresh hearing.
He, however, clarified that the substantive dispute over the NDC’s registration has not yet been decided.
“The matter remains before the court. The judgment merely sets aside the earlier ruling and ensures that all parties affected by the case are given an opportunity to be heard before a fresh decision is reached,” he explained.
What the Ruling Means
The latest decision does not determine whether the Nigeria Democratic Congress will ultimately be registered as a political party.
Instead, it reopens the case and requires the Federal High Court to hear arguments from all affected parties before reaching a new determination.
The ruling effectively places the NDC’s registration status back before the court and ensures that the legal dispute will be reconsidered through a fresh hearing process.