A Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja has set aside its earlier judgment 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 hearing all parties whose interests were affected.
Delivering judgment on Friday, Justice Isah Dashen held that the earlier ruling was constitutionally flawed because the Peace Movement Party (PMP), which claimed an interest in the matter, was not joined in the proceedings before the judgment was delivered.
The court upheld an application filed by the PMP, declaring that the party was a necessary party to the suit and should have been given an opportunity to present its case before any substantive decision was made.
Justice Dashen ruled that the failure to hear all relevant parties rendered the December 10, 2025 judgment null and void.
He consequently ordered that the status quo be restored to what it was before the earlier judgment, pending the determination of the substantive suit.
The judge also observed that material facts were allegedly withheld from the court during the previous proceedings, a development he said justified setting aside the judgment.
As a result, the court directed that the case should commence afresh, with INEC, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), and the Peace Movement Party (PMP) all joined as parties.
Speaking to journalists after the ruling, counsel to the applicant, Chikezie Ekeocha, said the PMP approached the court after discovering that the NDC’s registration process was based on a logo the PMP had earlier submitted to INEC before the suit commenced.
According to him, the court agreed that the party’s rights were affected and therefore vacated the previous judgment.
> “The court has ordered all parties to return to the position they occupied before the judgment of December 10, 2025, and directed the claimants to join all necessary parties to ensure the issues in dispute are effectually and completely determined,” he said.
Ekeocha explained that the ruling effectively reverses every action taken by INEC in compliance with the now-vacated judgment.
He said this includes the recognition of the NDC as a political party, the issuance of its certificate of registration, its inclusion in INEC’s official records, and any appearance on ballot papers arising from the earlier judgment.
He, however, clarified that the substantive case has not been determined.
> “The matter has not been concluded. The court merely set aside its previous judgment and directed that the party whose interests were affected be joined so that all sides can be heard before a fresh decision is reached,” he stated.
The ruling returns the dispute over the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress to the Federal High Court for a fresh hearing, where all parties are expected to present their arguments before the court reaches a new decision.
