A Federal High Court in Lokoja, Kogi State, has nullified its earlier judgment that compelled the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), ordering that the case be heard afresh with all interested parties included.
Delivering the ruling on Friday, Justice Isah Dashen held that the previous judgment, delivered on December 10, 2025, was flawed because it was made without hearing all parties with a legal interest in the matter.
The court granted an application filed by the Peace Movement Party (PMP), recognising it as a necessary party in the suit after it argued that its rights were affected by the registration process.
Justice Dashen ruled that the earlier decision was constitutionally defective and directed that the status quo before the December 2025 judgment be restored pending the determination of the substantive case. He also noted that material facts had been withheld during the initial proceedings, making it necessary to vacate the judgment.
The court subsequently ordered that the matter begin afresh, with INEC, the Peace Movement Party (PMP), and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) all joined as parties to the case.
Counsel to the PMP, C.S. Ekeocha, said the party approached the court after discovering that the NDC’s registration was allegedly based on a logo the PMP had earlier submitted to INEC before the commencement of the original suit.
According to him, the court agreed that the party’s interests had been affected and therefore set aside the previous judgment.
Ekeocha explained that the ruling effectively reverses every action taken by INEC in compliance with the now-vacated judgment, including the issuance of the NDC’s certificate of registration and its recognition by the electoral commission, pending the outcome of the fresh hearing.
He, however, emphasised that the court has not decided the substantive dispute, noting that the case will now proceed with all relevant parties given the opportunity to present their arguments before a final determination is made.
