Legal Expert Calls for Sanction of Kogi Judge Over NDC Ruling

Ekene Aninze, a legal practitioner, has called on the National Judicial Council (NJC) to summon and sanction Justice Isah Dashen of the Federal High Court, Lokoja Division, for nullifying a prior judgment that ordered the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a political party. Aninze's request follows a Court of Appeal ruling that stated Justice Dashen erred by revisiting his earlier judgment from December 10, 2025, which directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the NDC.

Aninze argued that Dashen abused his judicial power by reconsidering a decision already made. He referenced past NJC disciplinary actions against judges for similar issues and emphasized that Dashen should clarify when a court becomes functus officio.

The controversy arose from Dashen's June 26, 2026 ruling in suit No. FHC/LKJ/CS/49/2025, where he deemed the earlier judgment constitutionally defective due to the absence of necessary parties, specifically the Peace Movement Party (PMP), which he ruled had a legal interest in the case.