The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has vowed to challenge at the Court of Appeal the judgment of the Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja, Kogi State, which set aside its earlier ruling directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the party as a political platform.
The party maintained that it remains a legally recognised political party and dismissed suggestions that it had been deregistered, assuring members, candidates, supporters, and the Nigerian public that its political activities would continue uninterrupted pending the determination of its appeal.
The National Chairman of the NDC, Senator Moses Cleopas, made the party’s position known in a statement released on Friday and published on the party’s official Facebook page shortly after Justice Isah Dashen delivered the controversial ruling nullifying the court’s earlier judgment of December 10, 2025.
According to Cleopas, the party received the judgment with surprise and disappointment, insisting that the court’s latest decision raises serious legal questions regarding jurisdiction and due process.
He argued that the applicant in the suit, the Peace Movement Party (PMP), was neither a registered political party nor a participant in the registration process that culminated in the December 2025 judgment directing INEC to register the NDC.
The NDC chairman questioned how an entity that was not a party to the original proceedings could successfully seek to overturn a final judgment through a motion before the same court.
According to him, once a court has delivered its final judgment on a matter, it becomes functus officio and lacks the jurisdiction to revisit or set aside its own decision except in very limited circumstances provided by law.
Cleopas maintained that the Federal High Court had exhausted its powers after delivering the December 10 judgment and therefore could not lawfully reopen the matter through an application filed by a third party.
“There was no order directing our deregistration. However, we are dissatisfied with the decision that has been made, and we have instructed our team of lawyers to immediately proceed to the Court of Appeal to challenge the jurisdiction and propriety of His Lordship’s order,” he stated.
He stressed that contrary to widespread speculation following the judgment, the court did not issue any order deregistering the Nigeria Democratic Congress as a political party.
According to him, the ruling merely set aside the earlier judgment that compelled INEC to register the party, adding that the legal implications of that decision would now be determined by the appellate court.
Cleopas expressed confidence that the Court of Appeal would carefully examine the legal issues surrounding the case and ultimately restore what he described as justice.
He reassured party faithful across the country that there was no cause for panic, insisting that the NDC remained fully committed to participating in Nigeria’s democratic process and preparations for the 2027 general elections.
The chairman specifically addressed concerns among the party’s candidates seeking elective offices, assuring them that the latest court ruling would not derail their political ambitions.
“We assure the general public, and particularly our candidates at all levels, that our party is on course. The NDC has not been deregistered, and we are challenging today’s order at the Court of Appeal as soon as possible. We have no doubt that justice will be done,” he said.
He called on party members nationwide to remain calm, united, and focused while the legal process runs its course, expressing optimism that the judiciary would ultimately uphold the rule of law.
Beyond the legal issues, Cleopas alleged that the judgment forms part of a broader effort by certain interests to weaken opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Although he did not identify those allegedly responsible, the NDC chairman accused unnamed political actors of attempting to shrink Nigeria’s democratic space by using judicial processes to frustrate emerging political parties and limit electoral competition.
According to him, democracy thrives where citizens are presented with multiple political choices, and any attempt to suppress opposition platforms undermines the principles of constitutional governance.
“We condemn efforts by those who seek to shrink the democratic space and stifle opposition voices and alternatives. Nigerians have a right to a full range of opinions, ideas, and alternatives, and political platforms and candidates should be allowed to participate in the 2027 general election process, which has already gone midway,” Cleopas declared.
He further described the application that culminated in Friday’s ruling as “illegal” and “an outright abuse of court process.”
According to him, if any party was dissatisfied with the December 10, 2025 judgment, the proper legal remedy would have been to file an appeal before a higher court rather than asking the same court to reverse its own final decision through a motion.
He argued that allowing such a procedure could create a dangerous judicial precedent capable of undermining the principle of finality in litigation.
The NDC chairman reiterated that the party’s legal team had already begun the process of filing an appeal and expressed confidence that the appellate court would resolve the dispute in accordance with established legal principles.
As political uncertainty followed the judgment, the leadership of the Nigeria Democratic Congress convened an emergency press conference at its national secretariat in Abuja to brief members and respond to growing public interest in the case.
Party officials used the occasion to reassure supporters that all organisational structures remained intact and that preparations for future political activities would continue despite the ongoing legal challenge.
Friday’s ruling by Justice Isah Dashen had set aside the Federal High Court’s earlier judgment delivered on December 10, 2025, which ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to register the NDC as a political party.
In his ruling, Justice Dashen held that the earlier judgment adversely affected the rights and interests of the Peace Movement Party, which claimed ownership of the logo relied upon by the NDC in obtaining the registration order.
The judge observed that because the Peace Movement Party was not joined as a party in the original proceedings, the judgment was capable of affecting its legal rights without giving it an opportunity to be heard.
On that basis, the court concluded that the earlier judgment ought to be set aside.
The latest legal development has generated widespread reactions within political circles, with analysts suggesting that the outcome of the appeal could have significant implications for political party registration, judicial procedure, and preparations for the 2027 general elections.
For now, however, the Nigeria Democratic Congress insists that it remains committed to pursuing every lawful avenue to defend its legal status and ensure its continued participation in Nigeria’s democratic process.
