Court overturns judgement ordering NDC’s deregistration

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has set aside the earlier judgement of the Federal High Court, Lokoja which ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a political party.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that the Federal High Court in Lokoja, Kogi State, in June, set aside its earlier judgement directing INEC to register NDC as a political party.

The ruling followed an application by the Peace Movement Party (PMP), which asked that the December 2025 judgement be set aside because it was not joined in the suit.

The judge, Isah Dashen, upheld the PMP application and ruled that all relevant parties must be heard before any substantive decision can be made in the matter.

The judge then declared that such an omission rendered the entire process null and void and ruled that the status quo be restored to its state before the December 2025 judgement, pending the determination of the substantive suit.

The NDC subsequently appealed the judgement.

Judgement overturned

In its judgement on Friday, the Court of Appeal in Abuja set aside the judgement of the lower court which ordered INEC to deregister the NDC.

The National Leader of the NDC, Seriake Dickson, announced this in a post on his X handle on Friday.

Mr Dickson, a serving senator, said the judgement was delivered by Justice Mohammed Danjuma and read by Justice Sule Hassan.

“We want to use this opportunity once again to commend the Nigerian judiciary, and in particular, Hon. Justice Danjuma and Hon. Justice Hassan, for upholding the integrity of the Nigerian judiciary and, by their decisions, expanding the sphere of multiparty democratic participation in Nigeria,” he said.

‘Unexpected assault’

The national leader described the initial ruling by Mr Dashen of the federal high court as an “unexpected assault on our constitutional right to participate and an attempt to narrow the democratic space.”

“Happily, today, by the decision of the Court of Appeal, the Nigerian democratic space has been protected, and the NDC’s right to participate in all political activities as a registered political party has been upheld,” he said.

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Mr Dickson recalled that the NDC leaders were “bombarded with several calls” for sympathy, support and prayers when the initial ruling was delivered.

“Today, our collective prayers have been answered.

“The NDC continues to exist. Our registration remains valid and subsisting, and we and all our candidates will participate in all elections in 2027 and beyond, by the grace of God,” he stated.

“With this conviction, we look forward to the forthcoming elections and are confident that the NDC will emerge victorious at the polls, by the grace of God.”