The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has overturned a Federal High Court decision that previously set aside the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC). This majority judgment restores the NDC’s legal standing as a recognized political party. The outcome secures the primary opposition platform under which former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi is contesting the presidency ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The legal dispute originates from a December 10, 2025 ruling by the Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja, Kogi State, which ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the NDC as a political party. Following the directive, an unregistered association named the Peace Movement Party (PMP) approached the trial court claiming ownership of the two-finger victory sign logo adopted by the NDC. On June 26, 2026,
Justice Isah Dashen ruled in favor of the PMP, asserting that its rights were affected without being joined in the original suit, and subsequently set aside his December decision to revert parties to their pre-December status.
In a 2-1 majority decision delivered by Justice Mohammed Danjuma and Justice M.L. Hassan, the appellate court ruled that the lower court abused its judicial power by sitting in appeal over its own subsisting final judgment.
The panel noted that the PMP is not a legally registered political party, describing it as a “meddlesome interloper” that lacked the legal capacity (locus standi) to be joined as a necessary party. Consequently, the majority dismissed all adversarial claims over the NDC’s logo and reaffirmed the validity of the party’s registration.
Justice Okon Abang dissented from the majority verdict, maintaining that the NDC suppressed material facts regarding the PMP’s prior claim over the logo. He argued that the original suit recognizing the NDC was statute-barred under the Electoral Act and voted to dismiss the appeal with a N10 million penalty cost against the NDC.
Reacting to the appellate decision, NDC founder Senator Seriake Dickson commended the judiciary for protecting Nigeria’s multi-party democracy and confirmed that all NDC candidates will appear on the ballot for the 2027 general elections.
Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has overturned a Federal High Court decision that previously set aside the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC). This majority judgment restores the NDC’s legal standing as a recognized political party. The outcome secures the primary opposition platform under which former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi is contesting the presidency ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The legal dispute originates from a December 10, 2025 ruling by the Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja, Kogi State, which ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the NDC as a political party. Following the directive, an unregistered association named the Peace Movement Party (PMP) approached the trial court claiming ownership of the two-finger victory sign logo adopted by the NDC. On June 26, 2026, Justice Isah Dashen ruled in favor of the PMP, asserting that its rights were affected without being joined in the original suit, and subsequently set aside his December decision to revert parties to their pre-December status.
In a 2-1 majority decision delivered by Justice Mohammed Danjuma and Justice M.L. Hassan, the appellate court ruled that the lower court abused its judicial power by sitting in appeal over its own subsisting final judgment.
The panel noted that the PMP is not a legally registered political party, describing it as a “meddlesome interloper” that lacked the legal capacity (locus standi) to be joined as a necessary party. Consequently, the majority dismissed all adversarial claims over the NDC’s logo and reaffirmed the validity of the party’s registration.
Justice Okon Abang dissented from the majority verdict, maintaining that the NDC suppressed material facts regarding the PMP’s prior claim over the logo. He argued that the original suit recognizing the NDC was statute-barred under the Electoral Act and voted to dismiss the appeal with a N10 million penalty cost against the NDC.
Reacting to the appellate decision, NDC founder Senator Seriake Dickson commended the judiciary for protecting Nigeria’s multi-party democracy and confirmed that all NDC candidates will appear on the ballot for the 2027 general elections.
