Court Overturns Judgment on Nigeria Democratic Congress Registration

On December 10, 2025, the Federal High Court in Lokoja, presided over by Justice Isah Dashen, set aside an earlier judgment that recognized the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a political party. The court ruled that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must register the NDC, following an application by the Peace Movement Party (PMP).

Justice Dashen stated that the earlier judgment was delivered without hearing the interests of relevant parties, rendering the entire process null and void. The court ordered that the substantive suit begin afresh, emphasizing that certain material facts were suppressed in earlier proceedings.

Counsel for the PMP, Chikezi Ekeocha, indicated that the NDC's registration was based on a logo previously submitted to INEC. The court's decision mandates that the parties affected by the judgment join the proceedings to ensure a complete determination of the issues in dispute.

The matter remains unresolved as the court has not concluded the substantive case.