The court quashes the order compelling INEC to register NDC – THISAGE

By Ayo Kehinde

The Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja, Kogi State, on Friday overturned its earlier ruling directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a political party, ruling that the decision was reached without listening to all stakeholders in the matter.

Justice Isah Dashen, who handed down the ruling, found that the previous ruling was constitutionally defective because the Peace Movement Party (PMP), whose rights would be affected by the NDC’s registration, had not been involved in the proceedings before the court made its decision.

The judge accepted the PMP’s request to participate, declaring that the party was a necessary party whose absence made the previous proceedings substantially flawed.

According to Judge Dashen, failure to hear all interested parties constitutes a violation of the constitutional principle of due process, rendering the entire trial null and void.

The court also found that certain material facts had been omitted during the earlier proceedings, a development that it said further justified quashing the December 10, 2025 ruling.

Accordingly, Judge Dashen ordered that the status quo be restored to what it was prior to the December 2025 ruling pending the determination of the case on the merits.

He further indicated that the matter should start afresh, with INEC, the Peace Movement Party and the Nigeria Democratic Congress united as parties involved in the case to ensure that all disputed issues are fully and fairly resolved.

Speaking to journalists after the ruling, the appellant’s lawyer, Chikezie Ekeocha, explained that the PMP approached the court after discovering that the NDC’s registration was based on a logo the party had previously submitted to INEC before the original suit commenced.

According to Ekeocha, the court agreed that the appellant’s legal rights had been prejudiced by the previous ruling and accordingly set it aside.

“The court ordered all parties to return to the position they occupied before the ruling on December 10, 2025, and ordered the applicants to join with all parties necessary to ensure that the disputed issues are effectively and completely resolved,” it said.

Ekeocha said Friday’s ruling means that any action taken by INEC under the now-vacant ruling stands nullified.

“The recognition of the NDC, the issuance of its certificate of registration, its inclusion in the INEC registers and any appearance on ballot papers arising from such judgment must be withdrawn pending the final determination of the substantive case,” he said.

He, however, clarified that the substantive case remains pending before the court and has not been decided on merits.

“The matter has not been concluded. The court simply set aside its previous ruling and ordered that the party whose interests were affected should join so that all parties could be heard before a new decision was reached,” Ekeocha added.

He also rejected suggestions that the court would simply order the parties to maintain the status quo, insisting that the ruling would specifically restore the legal position that existed before the December 10, 2025 ruling.

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