A Federal High Court in Lokoja has wiped out its own December 2025 order that made the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) register the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a political party. Justice Isah Dashen delivered the ruling on Friday. The NDC is the party under which former Anambra governor Peter Obi is running for president.
The reason is a party nobody invited to court. Justice Dashen held that the December 10, 2025 judgment affected the rights of the Peace Movement Party (PMP), which was never joined to the suit even though it claims ownership of the logo the NDC used in its registration process.
He ordered everyone back to where they stood before that judgment. He also told the claimants to bring in all necessary parties so the dispute can be heard fully and fairly.
What the PMP told the court
C.S. Ekeocha, counsel to the PMP, said his client came to court after finding that the NDC’s registration rested on a logo the PMP had already submitted to INEC before the original suit began. In his view, leaving the PMP out of the earlier case denied it a fair hearing, because the judgment bore directly on its interests.
“The court has ordered all parties to return to the position they occupied before the judgment of December 10, 2025,” Ekeocha said, adding that the claimants must join all necessary parties so the issues are “effectually and completely determined.”
What happens to INEC’s actions
Ekeocha went further on the consequences. Everything INEC did because of the earlier judgment, he said, is now reversed until the main suit is settled. That covers the NDC’s recognition as a party, its certificate of registration, its place in INEC’s official records and any appearance on ballot papers.
“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of registration, its inclusion in INEC’s records and any appearance on ballot papers arising from that judgment must be withdrawn pending the final determination of the substantive suit,” he said.
He also stressed what the ruling did not do. It did not decide who is right on the registration. “The matter has not been concluded,” Ekeocha said. “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.”
The dispute now goes back to the Federal High Court for a new hearing with every interested party present. That hearing will settle whether the original order directing INEC to register the NDC is upheld, changed or set aside.
A second case against opposition parties
The Lokoja ruling follows another recent Federal High Court judgment. A few days earlier, that court ordered INEC to stop recognising five parties: the African Democratic Congress (ADC), the Action Peoples Party, Action Alliance, Accord Party and Zenith Labour Party.
The group behind that case told the court the five did poorly in the 2023 general elections and in later by-elections and failed to win seats across key tiers of government. It argued their continued existence as recognised parties is unlawful. INEC fought the action, saying the parties cannot be deregistered because they had won seats in the states and the National Assembly. The commission attached certificates of return issued to their winning candidates.
