A Federal High Court in Lokoja struck down its own earlier ruling yesterday. The decision has deepened confusion about whether the Nigeria Democratic Congress can contest in 2027.
Justice Isah Dashen reversed the court's December 2025 order that directed INEC to register the NDC. He found the original judgment was flawed and constitutionally defective.
The judge ruled that all interested parties must be heard before any final decision. His earlier judgment had skipped this critical step.
The Peace Movement Party (PMP) had challenged the original ruling, claiming it was a necessary party to the case. Justice Dashen agreed with them completely.
He found that certain material facts had been hidden during the earlier proceedings. This suppression of evidence justified setting the judgment aside.
The court ordered the case to start over from scratch. INEC, the PMP, and the NDC must all participate this time.
Chikezie Ekeocha, counsel for the PMP applicant, explained what happened to reporters. He said the party discovered the NDC's registration relied on a logo previously filed with INEC.
According to him, that prior submission had been made before the original suit even began. The court accepted that the PMP's rights were therefore affected.
Ekeocha noted the implications are far-reaching. Everything INEC did based on the now-vacated judgment must be reversed immediately.
"The recognition of the NDC, the issuance of its certificate of registration, its inclusion in INEC's records, and any appearance on ballot papers arising from that judgement must be withdrawn pending the final determination of the substantive suit," he stated.
He stressed that the substantive case hasn't been decided yet. The court only set aside its previous order and ordered all affected parties to be properly joined.
"The matter has not been concluded," Ekeocha told journalists. "The court merely set aside its previous judgement and directed that the party whose interests were affected be joined so that all sides could be heard before a fresh decision is reached."
Ekeocha rejected claims that the court simply ordered parties to maintain current positions. In his words, the ruling specifically restored the situation existing before December 10, 2025.
The dispute over NDC registration now heads back to the Federal High Court for a complete rehearing. A new determination awaits once all parties have been properly heard.
This development throws the party's eligibility for the 2027 presidential election into serious doubt. Multiple court rounds still lie ahead before the matter is resolved.
