Rabiu Kwankwaso, the vice presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress, has called on party members to stay patient while leadership pursues its next steps. The former New Nigerian Peoples Party presidential hopeful made the appeal during an interview shared on X on Wednesday.
Justice Isa H. Dashen at the Lokoja Judicial Division had reversed an earlier court order from December 10, 2025, that mandated the Independent National Electoral Commission to register the NDC.
The judge cited concerns over the Peace Movement Party, which claimed ownership of the NDC's logo but wasn't initially included in the lawsuit.
Mohammed Kudu Haruna, INEC's national commissioner and information committee chairman, said the commission awaits official court documentation before responding. Kwankwaso expressed frustration that the court would rely on a case brought by what he described as a non-existent party to overturn its earlier judgment.
He argued the NDC's logo—featuring a victory sign with raised fingers—is completely different from the APC's symbol. According to him, this distinction should have satisfied legal requirements for party registration.
"The members of the NDC went to the High Court in Lokoja last December, and the court ruled that INEC should register the party since there was no significant similarity that would justify rejecting the application," Kwankwaso said. "From the end of December to now is six months."
He noted that INEC didn't appeal the original judgment but instead registered the NDC. The commission attended all party activities, from congresses to conventions, he added.
Kwankwaso said the reversal shocked party members and observers both locally and internationally. He expressed surprise that the same judge would reverse his decision based on a petition from people representing no registered party or organisation.
"To our disappointment, we only heard that a group that applied for registration with INEC, which was rejected, went to the same court to the same judge and requested that our party be deregistered," Kwankwaso told supporters. "It was a very huge shocker to us as members."
The NDC vice presidential candidate insisted the party remains committed to the rule of law. He said leadership plans to approach the court immediately, potentially by Monday, to request that stakeholders halt any action pending the appeal.
"As law-abiding people in this country, what we've decided is to go to court as soon as possible to make sure that the stakeholders are being asked to stay any action, and of course appeal so that the registration will be restored," Kwankwaso said. He urged Obident and Kwankwasiyya supporters to hold firm as the party fights the decision.
