The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it is awaiting the Certified True Copy (CTC) of a Federal High Court judgment that set aside an earlier order directing the commission to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a political party.
INEC disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday by its Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the Chairman, Adedayo Oketola, saying the commission would not make any official pronouncement on the matter until its legal department reviews the court’s decision.
According to the statement, the electoral body is aware of media reports concerning the judgment delivered by the Federal High Court in Lokoja on Friday, June 26, but has yet to receive the certified copy of the ruling.
“The Independent National Electoral Commission is aware of reports circulating in the media regarding the judgment delivered on Friday, June 26, 2026, by the Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja, which set aside an earlier order concerning the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress.
“However, as of this moment, the Commission has not yet received the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the court’s order,” the statement read.
INEC explained that its legal department would thoroughly study the judgment upon receipt before advising the commission on the appropriate course of action.
“Once the Commission’s legal department receives and thoroughly studies the CTC of the judgment, INEC will take an informed, lawful decision in line with the court’s directives.
“Until then, we cannot comment on the specifics of the ruling, and the public is urged to await the Commission’s formal position on the matter,” Oketola added.
Justice Isah Dashen of the Federal High Court in Lokoja had on Friday set aside the court’s earlier judgment of December 10, 2025, which directed INEC to register the NDC as a political party.
The court held that the rights of the Peace Movement Party (PMP) were affected by the earlier judgment because it was not joined in the suit despite claiming ownership of the logo relied upon in securing the registration order.
Consequently, Justice Dashen ordered that all parties be restored to the positions they occupied before the December 2025 judgment and directed that the substantive suit be heard afresh with all necessary parties joined.
The ruling has generated widespread reactions from opposition leaders and political stakeholders.
The NDC leadership has rejected the decision and announced plans to appeal. The party’s National Chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas, maintained that the party had not been deregistered, insisting that the trial court lacked jurisdiction to revisit a matter on which it had already delivered a final judgment.
Other opposition figures, including the NDC presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and the party’s National Leader, Senator Henry Dickson, described the ruling as a threat to Nigeria’s multi-party democracy and vowed to challenge it through all available legal channels.
However, INEC maintained that it would reserve its position until its legal team receives and reviews the Certified True Copy of the judgment before determining the next line of action.
