NDC Wins Major Legal Battle As Appeal Court Restores Party’s Registration

The Court of Appeal has overturned the Federal High Court judgment in Lokoja, Kogi State, which had set aside the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a political party.

According to Bush Radio Academy, the appellate court ruled that the lower court lacked the jurisdiction and constitutional authority to revisit and reverse its own earlier final judgment through an application filed by the Peace Movement Party (PMP).

The development effectively restores the December 2025 judgment that directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise and register the NDC as a political party. The earlier judgment had subsequently been set aside by the Federal High Court in Lokoja following an application by the PMP, which claimed that its rights were affected because it had not been joined in the original proceedings.

The legal dispute centred partly on the symbol used by the NDC, with the Peace Movement Party claiming an interest in the logo relied upon in the case that resulted in the party’s registration.

Justice Isah Dashen of the Federal High Court in Lokoja had ruled in June 2026 that the December 10, 2025 judgment adversely affected the rights of the PMP, which was not a party to the original suit. He consequently set aside the earlier judgment and ordered that the parties be returned to the position they occupied before the December 2025 decision.

The NDC subsequently challenged the decision at the Court of Appeal, arguing that the Federal High Court could not sit on appeal over its own final judgment. The appellate court has now ruled in favour of the NDC and overturned the Lokoja decision.

The National Publicity Secretary of the NDC, Osa Director, confirmed the development in a post on X, stating that the Court of Appeal had upheld the party’s registration and overruled the Lokoja judgment.

The ruling marks another significant development in the legal dispute surrounding the NDC’s status ahead of the 2027 general elections. The party has maintained that its registration remains valid, while the latest appellate decision has overturned the Federal High Court ruling that had created uncertainty over its recognition.