The House of Representatives Caucus of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has condemned Friday’s ruling by a Federal High Court in Lokoja, which it claimed sought to de-register the party and strip it of its legal recognition.
In a statement issued on Friday and signed by the Leader of the NDC Caucus in the House of Representatives, Hon. Afam Victor Ogene, the lawmakers described the ruling as “judicial banditry” and an attempted coup against democracy, insisting that the order was unconstitutional and politically motivated.
The caucus argued that the ruling was not merely an error in law but a deliberate attempt to undermine Nigeria’s democratic process through what it termed “judicial harassment.”
According to the lawmakers, the court’s decision followed a pattern of similar judicial actions against opposition parties, recalling an earlier Abuja judgment that sought to de-register five political parties but was later overturned by the Court of Appeal, which affirmed that no court could extinguish a political party through judicial shortcuts.
The caucus maintained that the statutory 90-day period for challenging the NDC’s registration had long expired, stressing that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the constitutionally empowered body responsible for political party registration, was not the party challenging the registration in the latest case.
It further argued that the matter amounted to “forum shopping,” alleging that the case was improperly returned to the same court that had earlier ordered INEC to register the NDC, rather than being pursued through the appellate process.
The lawmakers also questioned the timing of the ruling, noting that it coincided with the day INEC was expected to open its portal and issue access codes to political parties for the upload of candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Describing the timing as deliberate, the caucus alleged that the ruling was part of a broader plan to weaken the opposition before the next elections.
The NDC caucus accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of being behind what it described as an anti-democratic plot aimed at preventing credible political competition in 2027.
“We make bold to say that this is all about 2027, not the law, and never justice,” the statement read.
The lawmakers insisted that Nigeria was not a one-party state and vowed that the party would challenge the ruling through all available legal channels up to the Supreme Court if necessary.
They expressed confidence that the judiciary would ultimately uphold the Constitution and reverse what they described as an illegal decision.
The caucus warned that allowing the ruling to stand could trigger a major political crisis and further erode public confidence in both the judiciary and INEC.
It also urged members and supporters of the NDC nationwide to remain calm, law-abiding and resolute, assuring them that the party would continue its legal battle against the court’s decision.