Federal High Court rules that all interested parties must be heard, sets aside earlier judgment recognising the Nigeria Democratic Congress.
A Federal High Court 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.
Delivering the ruling on Friday, Justice Isah Dashen held that the earlier judgment was constitutionally defective because all relevant parties were not heard before the decision was made.
The court upheld an application filed by the Peace Movement Party (PMP), ruling that the party was a necessary party to the suit and that its exclusion rendered the previous proceedings null and void.
Justice Dashen ordered that the status quo be restored to what it was before the December 10, 2025 judgment and directed that the substantive suit begin afresh with INEC, the PMP and the NDC joined as parties.
The judge also observed that certain material facts were allegedly suppressed during the earlier proceedings, a development he said justified setting aside the previous judgment.
Counsel to the applicant, Chikezie Ekeocha, said the PMP approached the court after discovering that the NDC’s registration was based on a logo the party had previously submitted to INEC before the suit commenced.
According to him, the ruling means every action taken by INEC in compliance with the now-vacated judgment—including the recognition of the NDC, issuance of its certificate of registration, inclusion in INEC’s records and any appearance on ballot papers—must be reversed pending the determination of the substantive suit.
Ekeocha, however, clarified that the case has not been concluded, noting that the court only set aside its earlier judgment to ensure all parties whose interests are affected are heard before a fresh decision is reached.