Nigeria's main opposition party has hit back at a Federal High Court ruling ordering its deregistration. The Nigeria Democratic Congress says the decision was improper and comes too late to affect the 2027 elections.
Moses Cleopas Zuwoghe chairs the NDC. He released a statement attacking what he called attempts to shrink Nigeria's democratic space and silence opposition voices.
Justice Isah Dashen of the Lokoja court issued the ruling on Thursday morning. An unregistered group called the Peace Movement Party had filed the application against the NDC.
Zuwoghe walked reporters through the NDC's legal history. The party had challenged INEC's initial refusal to register it as a political party back in December 2025.
That earlier Federal High Court judgment sided with the NDC. The court ruled that INEC had violated the party's constitutional right to freedom of association.
INEC registered the NDC following that order. Since then, Zuwoghe noted, the party has moved quickly to establish itself.
NDC members have been registered at the grassroots level. The party held congresses from ward through to national levels without interference.
Party conventions took place as scheduled. Primary elections for all offices concluded in line with INEC's official timetable.
The NDC fielded candidates in recent by-elections in both Nasarawa and Enugu states. Those elections already took place, and NDC participated fully.
Zuwoghe said his party has nominated candidates for every position. These include House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate, and governor posts.
Presidential and vice-presidential candidates have also been chosen. Formal submission to INEC will follow the commission's schedule.
So who is the Peace Movement Party making this complaint? According to Zuwoghe, nobody really knows them.
The Peace Movement Party isn't registered as a political party in Nigeria. They've never participated in the current electoral process like the NDC has.
Their claim dates back to 2015, Zuwoghe explained. Back then, they allegedly tried to register using the victory sign as their symbol.
INEC rejected that 2015 application. Now, over a decade later, they're raising the same grievance through a motion in court.
Zuwoghe questioned the court's authority to hear the case at all. Once a court delivers a final judgment, it becomes functus officio—meaning it loses power to act further on that matter.
The December 20 judgment favoring NDC was final. No appeals against it had been filed by any party.
The original judgment had already addressed symbol and color disputes. INEC's position on those issues was overruled at that time.
Justice Dashen's new order now seeks to overturn his own court's earlier decision. Zuwoghe finds this astonishing and legally questionable.
An unregistered group claiming 2015 grievances should have no standing to sue. They're not currently seeking registration or participating in politics.
Zuwoghe's message was clear: it's simply too late. Attempts to use the courts to damage Nigeria's opposition parties won't succeed now.
Nigerians deserve real choices in 2027, he insisted. All political platforms and candidates must be allowed to compete fairly.
