INEC awaits certified court judgment before taking position on NDC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it will review the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Federal High Court judgment concerning the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) before deciding on its next course of action.

In a statement issued on Saturday, Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the INEC Chairman, Adedayo Oketola, said the commission was aware of media reports on Friday’s judgment delivered by the Federal High Court in Lokoja, Kogi State, but had yet to receive the certified copy of the ruling.

According to Oketola, the commission could not comment on the specifics of the judgment until its legal department had examined the court’s decision.

“The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is aware of reports circulating in the media regarding the judgment delivered on Friday, June 26, 2026, by the Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja, which set aside an earlier order concerning the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress.

“However, as of this moment, the Commission has not yet received the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the court’s order,” the statement read.

He said the commission’s legal department would study the judgment upon receipt of the CTC before advising on the appropriate legal and administrative steps.

“Once the Commission’s legal department receives and thoroughly studies the CTC of the judgment, INEC will take an informed, lawful decision in line with the court’s directives.

“Until then, we cannot comment on the specifics of the ruling, and the public is urged to await the Commission’s formal position on the matter,” Oketola added.

The commission’s response followed Friday’s judgment by Justice Isah Dashen, who set aside the court’s earlier ruling of December 10, 2025, directing INEC to register the NDC as a political party.

The court held that the rights of the Peace Movement Party were affected because it was not joined in the original suit despite claiming ownership of the logo relied upon in obtaining the registration order.

Justice Dashen consequently directed that all parties return to the position they occupied before the December 2025 judgment and ordered that the substantive suit be heard afresh with all necessary parties joined.

Following the ruling, the NDC rejected the decision and announced plans to appeal.

The party’s National Chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas, maintained that the NDC had not been deregistered and argued that the trial court lacked jurisdiction to revisit a matter on which it had already delivered a final judgment.

The ruling has also drawn criticism from several opposition figures and groups, including the NDC’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, the party’s National Leader, Senator Henry Dickson, and other stakeholders, who described the judgment as a threat to Nigeria’s multiparty democracy and pledged to pursue all available legal remedies.

INEC, however, insisted it would reserve its official position until it receives and reviews the Certified True Copy of the judgment.