Precious Nwonu, Enugu
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress as a political party, overturning a Federal High Court judgment in Lokoja, Kogi State, which had nullified its registration.
The appellate court reached the decision in a split judgment, with two members of the three-member panel ruling in favour of the NDC and one dissenting.
Justices Mohammed Danjuma and Muslim Sule Hassan, who formed the majority, set aside the judgment of the Federal High Court and upheld the Independent National Electoral Commission’s recognition of the NDC.
The majority held that the Lokoja court erred by revisiting its own earlier judgment of December 10, 2025, which had directed INEC to register the NDC as a political party.
The appellate court described the lower court’s action as an abuse of judicial power and hierarchy.
The judgment also rejected a dispute over the NDC’s logo, which an association operating under the name Peace Movement Party had claimed belonged to it.
The appeal followed a ruling by Justice Isah Dashen of the Federal High Court in Lokoja, which had set aside the court’s earlier decision directing INEC to recognise and register the NDC.
The reversal followed an application by the Peace Movement Party, which argued that it had a legal interest in the matter but was not joined in the original proceedings.
Justice Dashen had agreed with the argument and held that all parties with an interest in the case ought to have been given an opportunity to participate before the earlier order was made.
The Federal High Court consequently ordered that the matter be heard afresh with the relevant parties properly joined.
Dissatisfied with the decision, the NDC appealed to the Court of Appeal.
In the latest ruling, the majority allowed the party’s appeal and restored the effect of the earlier judgment recognising its registration.
However, Justice Okon Abang, the third member of the panel, dissented.
In his judgment, Abang upheld the Federal High Court’s position, holding that there was no basis to fault the lower court’s decision and that it had acted in accordance with the principles of justice and fair hearing.
The ruling comes as the NDC prepares for the 2027 general elections, having already nominated candidates for the polls.
The judgment provides the latest development in the legal dispute over the party’s registration, which began with the Federal High Court’s December 2025 order directing INEC to register the NDC.