INEC Responds to Court Ruling on NDC, Outlines Next Steps

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that it has not yet received the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Federal High Court judgment that annulled a prior order directing the commission to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a political party.

INEC made the statement on Saturday through its Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the Chairman, Adedayo Oketola.

While the commission is aware of media reports concerning the judgment issued by the Federal High Court in Lokoja on June 26, it cannot comment on the ruling until it obtains and reviews the certified copy.

“The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, is aware of reports circulating in the media regarding the judgment delivered on Friday, June 26, 2026, by the Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja, which set aside an earlier order concerning the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress,” the statement read.

“However, as of this moment, the Commission has not yet received the Certified True Copy, CTC, of the court’s order,” Oketola added.

INEC said its legal department will study the judgment once the CTC is received and will advise the commission on the appropriate next steps.

“Once the Commission’s legal department receives and thoroughly studies the CTC of the judgment, INEC will take an informed, lawful decision in line with the court’s directives,” Oketola said. “Until then, we cannot comment on the specifics of the ruling, and the public is urged to await the Commission’s formal position on the matter.”

Justice Isah Dashen of the Federal High Court in Lokoja set aside the court’s December 10, 2025 judgment directing INEC to register the NDC as a political party on Friday.

The court found that the rights of the Peace Movement Party were affected by the earlier judgment because the party was not joined in the suit, despite claiming ownership of the logo used to secure the registration order.

Justice Dashen ordered that all parties be restored to the positions they held before the December 2025 judgment and directed that the substantive suit be heard anew with all necessary parties joined.

The NDC has rejected the ruling and announced plans to appeal the decision. Its National Chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas, maintained that the party had not been deregistered and argued that the trial court lacked jurisdiction to revisit a matter on which it had already delivered a final judgment.

The ruling has also drawn reactions from opposition figures, including the NDC’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, the party’s National Leader, Senator Henry Dickson, and other stakeholders, who described the decision as a threat to Nigeria’s multiparty democracy and vowed to challenge it through all available legal channels.

INEC reiterated that it would reserve its position on the judgment until it receives and reviews the Certified True Copy.