The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has insisted that it remains a legally registered political party despite a recent ruling by the Federal High Court in Lokoja, saying it will immediately challenge the decision at the Court of Appeal.
In a statement signed by its National Chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas Zuwoghe, the party said the ruling, delivered on Friday by Justice Isah Dashen, arose from an application filed by an unregistered association known as the Peace Movement Party (PMP).
According to the NDC, it had successfully secured a Federal High Court judgment in December 2025 compelling the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register it as a political party after challenging the commission’s refusal to do so. The party said INEC complied with the judgment, after which it commenced full political activities across the country.
The NDC stated that it has since registered members, conducted ward, local government, state and national congresses, held its national convention, concluded party primaries, and participated in INEC activities without interruption.
It also noted that it fielded candidates in the recent bye-elections held in Nasarawa and Enugu states and has nominated candidates for the House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate, governorship, presidential and vice-presidential elections ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The party argued that the Peace Movement Party is neither a registered political party nor an association currently seeking registration under the ongoing exercise. It said the group based its application on a claim that it had sought registration in 2015 using the “victory” sign as its symbol but was denied.
The NDC maintained that the Federal High Court had already delivered a final judgment in its case against INEC and had become functus officio, meaning it no longer had jurisdiction to revisit the matter. It added that issues relating to the use of its party symbol and colours had already been resolved in the earlier judgment.
While acknowledging that the court reportedly set aside its December 2025 judgment, the NDC stressed that there was no order directing its deregistration.
“We have instructed our team of lawyers to immediately proceed to the Court of Appeal to challenge the jurisdiction and propriety of His Lordship’s order,” the statement read.
The party assured its candidates, members and supporters that its platform remains valid and that all nominations already made remain intact pending the outcome of the appeal.
The NDC also condemned what it described as attempts to shrink Nigeria’s democratic space and suppress opposition voices, arguing that political parties should be allowed to participate freely in the 2027 general election process.
It further contended that if the Peace Movement Party was dissatisfied with the original judgment, the proper legal remedy would have been to file an appeal within the prescribed time, rather than seeking to overturn the decision through a motion, which it described as an abuse of court process.
The party expressed confidence that the Court of Appeal would overturn the ruling and reaffirm its legal status as a registered political party.
