The Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, has rejected a Federal High Court ruling delivered in Lokoja, insisting that the party remains legally registered and has immediately commenced the process of challenging the decision at the Court of Appeal.
Addressing journalists at a news conference in Abuja, the National Chairman of the party, Senator Moses Cleopas Zuwoghe, described the ruling as legally flawed and maintained that there was no court order directing the deregistration of the NDC.
He explained that the judgment arose from an application filed by an unregistered association known as the Peace Movement Party (PMP), which claimed it had sought registration as a political party in 2015 using the “victory” symbol.
According to Senator Zuwoghe, the NDC was lawfully registered by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) following a Federal High Court judgment in December 2025, which upheld the party’s constitutional right to freedom of association after INEC initially declined its registration.
He noted that since its registration, the party has conducted ward, local government, state and national congresses, held its national convention, concluded primary elections in line with INEC’s timetable, and participated in the recent bye-elections in Nasarawa and Enugu States.
The NDC chairman further disclosed that the party has successfully nominated candidates for the House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate, governorship, presidential and vice-presidential elections and is preparing to submit their names to INEC in accordance with the electoral timetable.
Senator Zuwoghe argued that the court had already delivered a final judgment in the matter and had become functus officio, adding that issues relating to the party’s name, colours and symbol had been conclusively determined, with no appeal filed against the earlier judgment.
He questioned the jurisdiction of the court to set aside its previous decision based on a motion filed by an association that is neither a registered political party nor participating in the current registration exercise.
“The NDC has not been deregistered. We have instructed our lawyers to immediately approach the Court of Appeal to challenge the jurisdiction and propriety of today’s ruling. We are confident that justice will prevail,” he said.
The party also condemned what it described as attempts to use the judiciary to narrow Nigeria’s democratic space and suppress opposition voices ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Senator Zuwoghe maintained that Nigerians deserve multiple political choices and warned against efforts to undermine the country’s multi-party democracy through judicial processes.
He assured party members, supporters and candidates nationwide that all nominations already conducted remain valid and urged them to remain calm while the legal process runs its course.
