The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has officially dismissed the recent Federal High Court decision in Lokoja that overturned a prior order forcing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the organization as a political party. Senator Moses Cleopas, the party’s national chairman, announced in Abuja that the NDC plans to contest the ruling at the Court of Appeal immediately.
Cleopas emphasized that the court did not order the party’s removal from the register, nor did it cancel the nominations of candidates slated for the 2027 elections. He urged supporters to stay composed, labeling the court’s decision as legally unsound because the presiding judge allegedly lacked the jurisdiction to reopen a previously settled case.
According to the chairman, the motion leading to this ruling was initiated by the Peace Movement Party, an entity he claimed is not a registered political party and held no standing in the original lawsuit. The NDC asserts that it has already fulfilled all requirements for registration, including holding national conventions and participating in various electoral processes in Nasarawa and Enugu.
Furthermore, the party maintains that its ticket, featuring Peter Obi for president and Rabiu Kwankwaso for vice president, remains valid. Cleopas insisted that the party is currently processing candidate submissions for the 2027 cycle in alignment with INEC guidelines and will utilize every available legal avenue to protect its status.
