Court Voids Judgment Recognising NDC, Orders Fresh Hearing

A Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja, Kogi State, has 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 on Friday, Justice Isah Dashen held that the earlier judgment was flawed because it was delivered without hearing all parties with an interest in the case, particularly the Peace Movement Party (PMP).

The court ruled that the omission rendered the judgment constitutionally defective and null and void.

Justice Dashen ordered that the status quo be restored to what it was before the December 10, 2025 judgment pending the determination of the substantive suit.

He also noted that material facts had been suppressed during the earlier proceedings, providing sufficient grounds to vacate the judgment.

Consequently, the court directed that the case should commence afresh with INEC, the Peace Movement Party (PMP), and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) joined as parties.

Counsel to the applicant, Chikezie Ekeocha, said the PMP approached the court after discovering that the NDC’s registration was based on a logo the party had earlier submitted to INEC before the suit was filed.

According to him, the court agreed that the PMP’s rights were affected and therefore set aside the previous judgment.

“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 so that the issues in dispute can be fully determined,” Ekeocha said.

He explained that the ruling effectively reverses every action taken by INEC pursuant to the now-vacated judgment, including the recognition of the NDC, the issuance of its certificate of registration, its inclusion in INEC’s records and any appearance on ballot papers arising from that decision.

Ekeocha, however, clarified that the substantive case remains pending before the court.

“The matter has not been concluded. The court merely set aside its previous judgment and directed that all affected parties be heard before a fresh decision is reached,” he said.

The ruling returns the dispute over the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress to the Federal High Court for a fresh hearing with all relevant parties participating.