The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has rejected a ruling delivered by the Federal High Court in Lokoja, maintaining that it remains a legally registered political party and 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 followed an application filed by an association known as the Peace Movement Party (PMP), which it described as an unregistered group with no legal standing in the current political process.
According to the NDC, it had earlier approached the Federal High Court in December 2025 after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) initially refused to register the party. The court ruled in its favour, affirming its constitutional right to freedom of association and directing INEC to register it as a political party.
The party said it has since carried out nationwide political activities, including membership registration, ward, local government, state and national congresses, conventions, and primary elections. It also noted that it participated in the recent bye-elections in Nasarawa and Enugu states and has nominated candidates for the House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate, governorship, presidential and vice-presidential elections in line with INEC's timetable.
Reacting to Friday's ruling, the NDC argued that the 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.
The party further stated that the Peace Movement Party was neither a registered political party nor an association participating in the current registration exercise, insisting that the group should have appealed the original judgment if it was dissatisfied, rather than seeking to overturn it through a motion.
While confirming that the court reportedly set aside its earlier judgment, the NDC emphasized that there was no order directing the deregistration of the party.
"The NDC has not been deregistered, and we have instructed our legal team to immediately approach the Court of Appeal to challenge the jurisdiction and propriety of the order," the statement said.
The party also accused unnamed individuals of attempting to use the judiciary to restrict Nigeria's democratic space and silence opposition voices ahead of the 2027 general elections.
It reassured its members, supporters and candidates that all nominations already made remain valid, expressing confidence that the appellate court would overturn the ruling and uphold its legal status.
