INEC Awaits Court Document on NDC Registration Judgment

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it is yet to receive the Certified True Copy (CTC) of a Federal High Court judgment delivered on Friday, June 26, 2026, which set aside an earlier order directing the commission to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a political party.

In a statement issued on Saturday, INEC’s Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the Chairman, Adedayo Oketola, said the commission is aware of reports circulating in the media but would not take a formal position until it reviews the official court document.

“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,” Oketola said.

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

He said the commission would only act after its legal department had reviewed the judgment in full.

“Once the Commission’s legal department receives and thoroughly studies the CTC of the judgment, INEC will take an informed, lawful decision,” the statement read, adding, “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.”

The judgment, delivered by Justice Isah Dashen of the Federal High Court in Lokoja, nullified an earlier order issued on December 10, 2025, which had directed INEC to register the NDC.

Justice Dashen ruled that the Peace Movement Party was affected by the earlier judgment, noting that it was not joined in the suit despite its claim of ownership of the logo used to secure the registration order.

The court ordered that all parties revert to their positions before the December 2025 ruling and directed that the substantive matter be heard afresh with all necessary parties properly joined.

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has rejected the ruling and announced plans to appeal at the Court of Appeal.

The party’s National Chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas, said the party has not been deregistered and argued that the trial court lacked jurisdiction to revisit a matter on which it had already delivered final judgment.

The ruling has drawn reactions from opposition figures, including Peter Obi, Senator Henry Dickson, and other stakeholders, who described it as a setback to Nigeria’s multiparty democracy and vowed to exhaust all legal remedies available.

INEC, however, maintained that it would reserve its final position until it receives and reviews the Certified True Copy of the judgment.

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