Kwankwaso, Dickson Meet as Court Ruling Puts NDC’s Political Future in Doubt

The vice-presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, on Sunday held a closed-door meeting with the party’s National Leader, Senator Seriake Dickson, amid growing uncertainty over the party’s legal status following a recent Federal High Court ruling.

The meeting came barely two days after the Federal High Court in Lokoja, Kogi State, vacated its earlier judgment that had directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the NDC as a political party.

In the ruling delivered in Suit No. FHC/LKJ/CS/49/2025, Justice Isah Dashen held that the court’s December 10, 2025 judgment was constitutionally defective because all necessary parties were not heard before the decision was reached.

The court set aside the earlier judgment after the Peace Movement Party successfully argued that it had a legal interest in the matter and ought to have been joined in the suit before the ruling was delivered.

The decision has sparked political debate, with some opposition figures alleging that the development is part of a broader effort to weaken opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections. Those allegations have not been substantiated.

Confirming the meeting in a post on his official Facebook page, Senator Dickson said he and Kwankwaso discussed issues affecting the party and its future.

“We discussed issues of mutual interest concerning our party,” Dickson wrote.

He added that the party’s leadership remains committed to preserving Nigeria’s multi-party democratic system despite the legal setback.

“We reaffirmed our resolve to stand together in the fight for multi-party democracy, and I briefed him on the measures the party is taking to correct and redress the distractions occasioned by the anomalous ruling of the Federal High Court. We are on course,” he stated.

The meeting is seen as part of ongoing consultations among NDC leaders as they consider legal and political options following the court’s decision, which has cast doubt over the party’s registration status.