BREAKING NEWS: High Court Sitting In Lokoja Set Aside Its Earlier Judgment Asking INEC To Register NDC As Party

According To Vanguard On Friday 26 June, 2026, A Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja has set aside its earlier judgment directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a political party, effectively nullifying all actions taken pursuant to the ruling.

Justice Isah Dashen delivered the ruling on Friday, holding that the court earlier judgment of December 10, 2025, adversely affected the rights of the Peace Movement Party (PMP), which was not joined as a party in the suit despite claiming ownership of the logo relied upon in obtaining the judgment.

The court ruled that the failure to include the PMP in the original proceedings denied the party the opportunity to defend its interest over the disputed logo, making the earlier decision liable to be set aside. The ruling effectively reverses the directive compelling INEC to register the NDC and invalidates all steps taken in compliance with the previous judgment.

Speaking to journalists after the court session, counsel to the applicant, PMP, C. S. Ekeocha, explained that the party sought judicial intervention after discovering that the NDC registration process was based on a logo it had earlier submitted to INEC before the commencement of the suit.

Ekeocha said, The PMP approached the court after discovering that the NDC registration was based on a logo it had previously submitted to INEC before the commencement of the suit.

The legal dispute centres on the ownership and use of the party logo, which the PMP argued formed a critical part of its identity and should not have been relied upon in proceedings conducted without its participation. The court agreed that the omission of the PMP from the earlier case amounted to a breach of the principles of fair hearing.

The latest judgment means the earlier order directing INEC to register the NDC no longer has legal effect, pending any further legal action that may arise from the case. The decision is expected to influence subsequent proceedings involving the registration of political parties and disputes over party symbols and identities.