The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has vowed to challenge a Federal High Court ruling delivered in Lokoja, insisting that the party remains legally registered and fully eligible to participate in Nigeria’s political process despite the court’s latest decision.
In a statement issued on Friday by its National Chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas Zuwoghe, the party said it had instructed its legal team to immediately appeal the ruling of Justice Isah Dashen, who reportedly set aside an earlier judgment that compelled the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the NDC as a political party.
According to the party, the ruling arose from an application filed by an association known as the Peace Movement Party (PMP), which it described as an unregistered group with no legal standing in the current political process.
The NDC recalled that it approached the Federal High Court in December 2025 after INEC declined to register it as a political party. The court subsequently ruled in its favour, affirming its constitutional right to freedom of association and directing INEC to register the party.
The party stated that following its registration, it commenced nationwide political activities, including membership registration, congresses from ward to national levels, national conventions and primary elections in line with INEC’s timetable.
It also noted that it participated in the recent by-elections in Nasarawa and Enugu states and has already nominated candidates for House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate, governorship, presidential and vice-presidential positions ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The NDC argued that the Peace Movement Party is neither a registered political party nor an association currently seeking registration under the ongoing electoral process. It maintained that the group merely relied on an application claiming it sought registration in 2015 using a similar party symbol.
The party further contended that the Federal High Court had become functus officio after delivering its final judgment in the earlier suit against INEC and had already resolved issues relating to party symbols and colours, with no appeal filed against that decision.
While confirming that Justice Dashen’s ruling reportedly set aside the earlier judgment, the NDC stressed that there was no order directing its deregistration.
“We assure the general public, particularly our candidates at all levels, that our party remains on course. The NDC has not been deregistered, and we are proceeding to the Court of Appeal to challenge today’s order,” the statement said.
The party also accused unnamed individuals of attempting to weaken Nigeria’s democratic space by using the courts to frustrate opposition parties ahead of the 2027 elections.
It argued that if the Peace Movement Party believed it was affected by the earlier judgment, the proper legal remedy would have been to file an appeal within the prescribed period, adding that such an appeal would now be statute-barred.
Describing the latest application as “an abuse of court process,” the NDC reaffirmed that all candidates nominated under its platform remain validly nominated and expressed confidence that the appellate court would overturn the ruling.
The party thanked its members, supporters and candidates for their continued confidence, assuring them that it remained committed to participating fully in the 2027 general elections while pursuing legal redress.
