The presidential ambition of former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, may face a setback after a Federal High Court in Lokoja nullified its earlier judgment directing the Independent National Electoral Commission to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress as a political party.
Delivering the ruling on Friday, Justice Isah Dashen held that the earlier judgment had affected the rights of the Peace Movement Party, which was not joined in the original suit despite claiming ownership of the logo used by the NDC.
Counsel to the Peace Movement Party, C.S. Ekeocha, explained that the party approached the court after discovering that the NDC’s registration process was linked to a logo it had previously submitted to INEC before the legal action began.
According to him, “The court has ordered all parties to return to the position they occupied before the judgment of December 10, 2025, and directed the claimants to join all necessary parties to ensure the issues in dispute are effectually and completely determined.”
Ekeocha said the ruling means all actions taken by INEC based on the earlier judgment have been reversed.
He said, “The recognition of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, the issuance of its certificate of registration, its inclusion in INEC’s records, and any appearance on ballot papers arising from that judgment must be withdrawn pending the final determination of the substantive suit.”
He stressed that the main case is still before the court.
“The matter has not been concluded. The court merely set aside its previous judgment and directed that the party whose interests were affected be joined so that all sides can be heard before a fresh decision is reached,” Ekeocha said.
The ruling means the dispute over the registration of the lNDC will return to the Federal High Court for a fresh hearing with all relevant parties participating.
Although the judgment does not determine the substantive case, it places the legal status of the NDC in temporary uncertainty and could affect the party’s political activities pending the outcome of the fresh hearing.
The latest development comes at a crucial time for the opposition party as it intensifies preparations for the 2027 presidential election, with Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso already unveiled as its presidential and vice-presidential candidates.
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BACKSTORY:
The latest court ruling stems from an earlier legal battle over the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, a platform believed to be politically linked to former Anambra governor Peter Obi ahead of the 2027 elections.
A Federal High Court in Lokoja had previously directed the Independent National Electoral Commission to register the NDC, a decision seen by many as a boost to Obi’s political camp.
However, the Peace Movement Party challenged the judgment, claiming that the NDC adopted a logo it had already submitted to INEC before the case was filed.
The court agreed that PMP’s interests were affected without being heard, leading to the reversal of the earlier judgment.
The development adds another layer of legal uncertainty to the evolving political landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections, especially as opposition figures continue to reposition themselves.
