Lokoja Federal High Court reverses earlier ruling, says excluded party’s rights were breached; INEC recognition of NDC nullified pending retrial

The Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja has nullified its earlier judgment that directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a political party, effectively stripping the group of its legal status for now.

In a fresh ruling, the court held that its previous decision failed to consider the interests of the Peace Movement Party (PMP), which claims ownership of the logo adopted by the NDC. The court noted that PMP was not joined in the original suit, despite being a critical party to the dispute.

Citing a breach of fair hearing, the judge ruled that all actions taken on the strength of the December 10, 2025 judgment must be reversed. This includes INEC’s issuance of a certificate of registration to the NDC.

The court subsequently ordered all parties to revert to the positions they held before the earlier judgment, pending a new hearing that will include all relevant stakeholders.

The development throws the NDC’s political future into uncertainty, as the case is set to be reheard with the disputed logo ownership now central to the proceedings.