Fresh legal drama has emerged over the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a political party.
Speaking after the ruling, PMP Counsel, Barrister Okeocha Chimezie, said the court’s decision was based on an application filed after the court had earlier delivered its judgment on December 10, 2025, directing INEC to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress as a political party.
According to him, when the court gave that judgment, it relied on the facts presented by the claimants, who told the court they owned the particular logo and had satisfied the constitutional requirements for registration.
Barrister Chimezie said that after the judgment was delivered, the applicant realized the judgment was based on its logo, which it had already submitted to INEC before the action was filed. The applicant then approached the court, asking it to vacate the judgment because its rights had been affected through the use of its logo.
He said the court considered the facts before it and came to the conclusion that the applicant’s rights had indeed been affected by the December 10, 2025 judgment. As a result, the court set aside that judgment and ordered all parties to return to the position they were in before the judgment was delivered.
He added that the claimants have now been directed to take the necessary steps to bring all affected parties before the court so the matter can be effectively and finally determined.
Barrister Chimezie explained that the original suit was filed by some pro-tem national officers of the Nigeria Democratic Congress against INEC, while the applicant that approached the court for this latest ruling was the Peace Movement Party (PMP), represented by its National Legal Adviser.
He further stated that the December 10, 2025 judgment had ordered INEC to recognize the Nigeria Democratic Congress as a political party, register it, issue it a certificate of registration and allow the party to appear on ballot papers for elections.
According to him, now that the judgment has been reversed, every action taken by INEC based on that judgment must also be reversed. He said the certificate of registration will have to be retracted, the party’s registration and recognition on INEC’s database removed, and wherever the NDC appears on ballot papers before the case is finally determined, it will also have to be removed.
Barrister Chimezie stressed that the matter is still ongoing. He also clarified that the court did not order parties to maintain the status quo. According to him, the court simply vacated its earlier orders and directed the parties to return so the matter can be properly determined.
