RismadarVoice Reporters, June 26, 2026
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has rejected a ruling of the Federal High Court in Lokoja setting aside its earlier judgment that led to the party’s registration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), insisting it remains a legally registered political party.
In a statement issued on Friday and signed by its National Chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas Zuwoghe, the party said it had instructed its lawyers to immediately appeal the ruling.
The NDC explained that it secured a Federal High Court judgment in December 2025 compelling INEC to register it after challenging the commission’s refusal to do so. Since its registration, the party said it had conducted membership registration, congresses, national conventions and primary elections, while also participating in INEC activities and recent bye-elections in Nasarawa and Enugu states.
According to the party, the latest ruling followed an application filed by an unregistered association known as the Peace Movement Party (PMP), which claimed it had sought registration in 2015 using the same victory sign as its symbol.
The NDC argued that the association is neither a registered political party nor a participant in the current registration exercise and questioned the court’s jurisdiction to set aside its earlier judgment.
The party maintained that the court did not order its deregistration but merely set aside its previous decision, adding that the matter would be challenged at the Court of Appeal.
“We assure the general public, 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,” the statement said.
The party also condemned what it described as attempts to shrink Nigeria’s democratic space and suppress opposition voices ahead of the 2027 general elections.
It urged its members, candidates and supporters to remain calm, insisting that all nominations already conducted remain valid while the legal process continues.
