Olushola Omogbehin
The Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja has on Friday, set aside its earlier judgment directing the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, as a political party.
Delivering the ruling, Justice Isah Dashen, held that the court’s earlier judgment affected the rights of the Peace Movement Party, PMP, that claimed ownership of the logo being used by the NDC.
According to the ruling, PMP was not joined as a party in the original suit despite its claim over the disputed logo.
According to counsel to the PMP, C.S. Ekeocha, the party approached the court after discovering that the NDC registration was based on a logo it had earlier submitted to INEC before the litigation commenced.
“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,” Ekeocha said.
Giving meaning to the ruling, Ekeocha said, the practical effect of the ruling is that every action INEC took in compliance with the now-vacated judgment is reversed, including NDC’s recognition, its certificate of registration, its inclusion in INEC’s records, and any appearance on ballot papers, all of which must be withdrawn pending a final determination of the substantive suit.
Speaking further, he said the underlying case remains undecided. “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,” he said.
The ruling means the dispute over the registration of the NDC will return to the Federal High Court for a fresh hearing with all relevant parties participating.
Nigerians believe that this fresh development would cause a serious setback for the 2027 presidential ambition of Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
