The Nigeria Democratic Congress has rejected Friday’s ruling of the Federal High Court in Lokoja setting aside an earlier judgment that led to its registration as a political party, insisting that it remains legally recognised and has commenced the process of challenging the decision at the Court of Appeal.
The party disclosed this in a statement signed by its National Chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas Zuwoghe, on Friday, assuring members, candidates and supporters that the judgment did not amount to its deregistration and would not affect its participation in the 2027 general elections.
The NDC explained that it had approached the Federal High Court in December 2025 after the Independent National Electoral Commission declined to register it as a political party. According to the party, the court upheld its constitutional right to freedom of association and ordered INEC to register it, a directive the electoral commission subsequently complied with.
It stated that since its registration, it had conducted membership registration, ward, local government, state and national congresses, held conventions, concluded primary elections for elective offices and participated in INEC activities, including the recent bye elections in Nasarawa and Enugu states.
The party argued that the application leading to Friday’s ruling was filed by an unregistered association known as the Peace Movement Party, which it said was neither a registered political party nor a participant in the ongoing electoral process.
The statement read, “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.”
The party maintained that the trial court had become functus officio after delivering its final judgment in December 2025 and therefore lacked the jurisdiction to revisit the matter through a motion filed by a third party.
It added, “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.”
The party also described the application as an abuse of court process, alleging that those behind it were attempting to shrink Nigeria’s democratic space by frustrating opposition platforms ahead of the 2027 elections.
“It is too late for anyone to attempt to use the judiciary to derail or narrow Nigeria’s multi-party democratic space,” the statement added.
The NDC further assured its candidates across all elective positions that their nominations remained valid and expressed confidence that the appellate court would overturn the ruling.
