The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has dismissed reports suggesting it has been deregistered following a ruling by the Federal High Court in Lokoja, insisting that it remains a legally registered political party and will immediately challenge the decision at the Court of Appeal.
In a statement issued on X on Friday and signed by its National Chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas Zuwoghe, the party said the court ruling stemmed from an application filed by an unregistered association known as the Peace Movement Party (PMP).
According to the NDC, it was legally registered by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) after obtaining a favourable judgment from the Federal High Court in December 2025, which upheld its constitutional right to freedom of association and ordered the electoral body to register it.
The party said it has since operated as a fully recognized political party, conducting membership registration, ward, local government, state and national congresses, holding its national convention, and completing primaries for all elective positions in line with INEC’s timetable.
It added that it also participated in the recent bye-elections in Nasarawa and Enugu states and is preparing to submit the names of its candidates for the 2027 general elections to INEC.
The NDC described the Peace Movement Party as an unregistered association that is neither participating in the current registration exercise nor recognized as a political party.
According to the statement, the association merely filed a motion claiming it had unsuccessfully sought registration in 2015 with the “victory” symbol and requested the court to set aside its earlier judgment in favour of the NDC.
The party argued that the Federal High Court had already delivered a final judgment in its case and had become functus officio, meaning it no longer had jurisdiction over the matter. It also maintained that issues relating to the use of its symbol and colours had already been resolved in the earlier judgment.
While confirming that the court reportedly set aside its December 2025 judgment, the NDC stressed that there was no order directing its deregistration.
“There was no order directing our deregistration. However, we are dissatisfied with the decision and have instructed our lawyers to immediately proceed to the Court of Appeal to challenge the jurisdiction and propriety of the order,” the statement read.
The party assured its candidates, members and supporters that all nominations already made remain valid and that its platform remains lawful.
The NDC further accused unnamed individuals of attempting to use the judiciary to undermine Nigeria’s multi-party democracy, arguing that if the Peace Movement Party was dissatisfied with the earlier judgment, its proper legal remedy was to file an appeal within the stipulated period rather than seek to overturn the decision through a motion.
“It is too late for anyone to attempt to use the judiciary to derail or narrow Nigeria’s multi-party democratic space,” the party stated.
The opposition party also condemned what it described as efforts to shrink the country’s democratic space and suppress alternative political voices ahead of the 2027 general elections, expressing confidence that the Court of Appeal would overturn the ruling and affirm its legal status.
