A Certified True Copy of a recent Federal High Court judgment has confirmed the deregistration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC). Presiding Judge Hon. Justice Isa H. Dashen of the Lokoja Judicial Division issued the ruling, which effectively voids a previous decision from December 10, 2025, that had directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the party.
The court nullified the prior judgment because it failed to include the Peace Movement Party (PMP) in the original lawsuit. The PMP, which successfully challenged the ruling, argued that it holds the rights to the specific logo used by the NDC for its registration. Because the PMP was not a party to the initial case, the court determined that the failure to hear their side represented a violation of fair hearing principles.
As a result of this judicial development, INEC is expected to remove the NDC from its official register of recognized political parties. The court clarified that its current action is not an appeal of its previous merits, but a necessary measure to correct a procedurally defective process that ignored the interests of a relevant third party.
