The Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a political party, overturning a Federal High Court decision that had set aside its registration.
In a split 2-1 decision, a three-member panel ruled that the Federal High Court in Lokoja acted improperly when it revisited its own earlier judgment directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the NDC. The majority judgment was delivered by Justices Mohammed Danjuma and Muslim Sule Hassan. They held that the lower court had abused its powers and the judicial hierarchy by effectively sitting on appeal over its December 10, 2025 judgment.
The majority also dismissed the dispute over the NDC’s logo, which the Peace Movement Party (PMP) had claimed belonged to it. The dispute began after the Federal High Court in Lokoja initially ordered INEC to register the NDC following the commission’s refusal to recognise the party.
However, Justice Isah Dashen later set aside that judgment after the PMP argued that it had a legal interest in the case but had not been joined as a party. The court subsequently ordered a fresh hearing with all relevant parties included.
The NDC challenged that decision at the Court of Appeal, arguing that the Federal High Court could not reverse its own final judgment in the manner it had done.
The appellate court agreed with the NDC in the majority decision and restored the effect of the earlier judgment directing INEC to recognise the party.
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