Court nullifies NDC registration by INEC, orders fresh hearing

A Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja, the capital of Kogi State, has set aside its earlier judgement which compelled the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).

Delivering his ruling in Suit No. FHC/LKJ/CS/49/2025, Justice Isah Dashen on Friday, June 26, 2026, held that all relevant parties must be heard before any substantive decision can be made in the matter.

The judge upheld the application filed by the Peace Movement Party (PMP), ruling that the party is a necessary party to the suit.

Justice Dashen noted that counsel for the PMP successfully demonstrated the party’s legal interest, which warranted its inclusion in the proceedings.

Justice Dashen said the judgement of December 10, 2025, was constitutionally defective as it was delivered without hearing from all interested parties.

He declared that such an omission rendered the entire process null and void.

Justice Dashen further ruled that the status quo be restored to what it was before the December 2025 judgment, pending the determination of the substantive suit.

The judge added that certain material facts were suppressed in the earlier proceedings, which justified the decision to set aside the judgment.

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Justice Dashen, therefore, ordered that the substantive suit commence afresh, with INEC, the PMP, and the NDC as parties to the case.

The PMP counsel, C.S. Ekeocha, told journalists that the party approached the court after discovering that the NDC’s registration was based on a logo it had previously submitted to INEC before the commencement of the suit.

According to Ekeocha, the court agreed that the applicant’s rights had been affected and consequently vacated the earlier judgment.

“The court has ordered all parties to return to the position they occupied before the judgement of December 10, 2025, and directed the claimants to join all necessary parties to ensure the issues in dispute are effectually and completely determined,” he said.