The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has overturned the judgment of the Federal High Court in Lokoja which had set aside the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a political party.
The appellate court’s decision was announced by the NDC on Friday, September 18, 2026, in a statement attributed to its National Leader, Henry Seriake Dickson.
The statement said the Court of Appeal allowed the party’s appeal against the ruling delivered by Justice Isah Dashen of the Federal High Court, Lokoja.
The development reverses the June 26, 2026 judgment in which Justice Dashen set aside his earlier judgment directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the NDC.
Justice Dashen had ruled following an application by the Peace Movement Party (PMP), which argued that it was a necessary party to the original proceedings because it claimed ownership of the logo used by the NDC.
The judge held that the December 10, 2025 judgment ordering INEC to register the NDC had affected the rights of the PMP without the association being joined in the suit. He consequently set aside the earlier judgment and ordered that the parties be restored to their positions before the December 2025 decision.
ALSO READ
- NDPC warns Nigerians against fake traffic offence messages
- Trump bans CNN, MS NOW, Politico from White House
- Appeal Court overturns Lokoja ruling, upholds NDC registration
The NDC rejected the June ruling and announced that it would challenge the decision at the Court of Appeal.
The party had argued that the Lokoja court could not revisit its own final judgment and maintained that it remained a legally registered political party.
Announcing Friday’s appellate decision, Dickson said the Court of Appeal had set aside Justice Dashen’s judgment.
According to the statement, the judgment was delivered by Justice Mohammed Danjuma and read by Justice Hassan.
The party said the ruling restored its status as a registered political party and cleared the way for it and its candidates to participate in political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“We have said repeatedly that the NDC was set up to expand the frontier of multiparty democracy in Nigeria. Justice Dashen’s judgment a few months ago was an unexpected assault on our constitutional right to participate and an attempt to narrow the democratic space,” the statement said.
The party also commended the Court of Appeal judges for what it described as upholding the integrity of the judiciary and protecting multiparty participation.
📢 Stay Updated — Join Our WhatsApp Channel
💬 Be Part of Our WhatsApp Community
Join our WhatsApp Channel for curated updates, breaking stories, and exclusive insights from our newsroom.
📲 Join 👉 NRTC WhatsApp Channel
It urged its members and candidates to resume preparations for the 2027 elections, saying its registration remained valid and subsisting.
The appellate ruling marks the latest development in a legal dispute that began after INEC initially declined to register the NDC as a political party.
In December 2025, the Federal High Court in Lokoja ordered INEC to register the party. The electoral commission had previously raised objections concerning the party’s proposed logo and symbol.
The subsequent challenge by the Peace Movement Party led to Justice Dashen’s June 2026 decision setting aside that registration order, creating uncertainty over the NDC’s participation in the 2027 elections.
Friday’s Court of Appeal ruling has now overturned that decision, according to the NDC and multiple reports on the judgment.
The NDC said it would now focus on its preparations for the 2027 elections and called on its members and candidates to continue with campaign activities.
🔍 Explore More
- NRTC English Knowledge Base – Learn, improve, and sharpen your English skills.
- Top Stories From Around the World – Stay informed with the latest global news and insights.
- Specially Curated Listicles – Discover interesting lists, guides, and deep dives selected for our readers.
- Stay Updated: Join our mailing list and never miss the latest articles and updates from NRTC.
