A Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja has set aside its earlier judgment directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a political party.

Delivering the ruling, Justice Isah Dashen held that the previous judgment was constitutionally defective because it was delivered without hearing all parties with an interest in the matter.

The decision followed an application filed by the Peace Movement Party (PMP), which argued that the NDC’s registration was based on a logo the party had earlier submitted to INEC before the suit was instituted.

Justice Dashen ruled that all relevant parties must be given the opportunity to present their case before any substantive decision is reached.

The court consequently ordered that the substantive suit be heard afresh, with INEC, the Peace Movement Party, and the Nigeria Democratic Congress joined as parties to the case.

The judge also directed that the status quo be restored to what it was before the December 2025 judgment pending the determination of the fresh suit.

Speaking to journalists after the ruling, counsel to the applicant, Chikezie Ekeocha, said the PMP approached the court after discovering that the NDC’s registration application was based on a logo it had previously submitted to INEC.

According to Ekeocha, the court agreed that the applicant’s rights could have been affected and therefore vacated the earlier judgment ordering INEC to register the NDC as a political party.