Court Voids NDC Registration, INEC Begins Delisting Process

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced the process of removing the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) from its register of political parties following a Federal High Court judgment that nullified the order compelling the commission to register the party.

INEC said it has applied for the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment delivered by the Federal High Court in Lokoja and will take the necessary steps once it receives the document.

Speaking on the development, the National Commissioner and Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, said the commission would comply with the court’s decision.

Haruna noted that before the December 10, 2025 judgment, INEC had declined the NDC’s application for registration as a political party.

The latest ruling, delivered on Friday, set aside the earlier judgment that directed INEC to register the NDC.

The court held that the previous decision adversely affected the rights of the Peace Movement Party (PMP), which claimed ownership of the logo allegedly adopted by the NDC but was not joined as a party in the original suit.

Counsel to the PMP, C.S. Ekeocha, said the ruling effectively nullified all actions taken pursuant to the earlier judgment, including the registration of the NDC as a political party, the issuance of its certificate of registration, its inclusion in INEC’s records, and any appearance on ballot papers.

The court also ordered all parties to revert to the status quo that existed before the December 10, 2025 judgment and directed that all necessary parties be joined in the substantive suit.

Although INEC is expected to withdraw the NDC’s registration in compliance with the ruling, the court clarified that the substantive case challenging the party’s registration remains pending.

The final legal status of the Nigeria Democratic Congress will be determined after the court hears and decides the substantive suit.