Court orders INEC to register NDP

A judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to register the National Democratic Party (NDP) as a political party.

Delivering judgment on February 16, 2026, Justice Mohammed Umar ruled that the plaintiffs had satisfied all constitutional and statutory requirements for party registration.

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2796/2025, was filed by the National Chairman of the NDP, Ada Frederick Okwori, alongside three others. The court held that the political association complied with provisions of Sections 222–224 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Sections 75 and 79 of the Electoral Act 2022, as well as INEC’s 2022 Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties.

In the ruling, the court declared that the National Democratic Party had fulfilled all legal conditions required for registration and that the electoral body was obligated to grant the request.

Justice Umar also nullified INEC’s letter dated December 18, 2025, which had declined or failed to approve the registration, describing it as void and of no legal effect.

In a consequential order, the court directed the commission to register the NDP without delay, grant it full political rights and privileges accorded to recognised parties, and issue the necessary certificate of registration and related documentation.

The court further ruled that if INEC fails to complete the registration process, the NDP would be deemed duly registered by operation of Section 75(4) of the Electoral Act 2022.