A court has overturned an earlier judgment that directed the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, as a political party.
The earlier order came from the Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja, Kogi state, in suit No. FHC/LKJ/CS/49/2025 between Barr Takori Mohammed Sanni and Ors v. INEC.
The court had held that INEC’s refusal to register the NDC on the basis of logo similarity infringed on the party’s right to freedom of association and “subsequently ordered INEC to register the NDC, and the commission complied with that directive”.
INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan confirmed the compliance at the commission’s first regular consultative meeting with political parties in Abuja on February 5, 2026. “The Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja, Kogi state, in suit No. FHC/LKJ/CS/49/2025 between Barr Takori Mohammed Sanni & Ors v. INEC ordered the commission to register Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a political party,” he said. “The commission has decided to comply with the order, and it is being registered as a political party”.
The registration sparked controversy because the NDC was not among the eight associations pre-qualified by INEC in October 2025 for party registration.
Umar Ardo, a founding leader of the All Democratic Alliance, ADA, challenged the process and said the association would appeal the Lokoja ruling, alleging “it was politically influenced”.
Ardo also questioned how the party obtained the court order without participating in the 2025 screening process. “NDC did not apply or participate in the registration process.
The party was nowhere. So, how can it go to obtain a court order?” he said.
The NDC has maintained that its registration followed due process.
In a statement by its National Secretary, Ikenna Morgan Enekweizu, the party said it approached the court after INEC declined to advance its application over logo concerns, and that INEC’s legal team participated in the proceedings.
