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By John Azu
A Federal High Court in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital has set aside its earlier judgement compelling the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
Justice Isah Dashen on Friday withdrew the approval it gave to INEC on December 10, 2025, to register the political party.
In the suit with no: FHC/LKJ/CS/49/2025, Justice Dashen held that all relevant parties must be heard before any substantive decision can be made on the matter.
The court admitted the Peace Movement Party (PMP) as a necessary party to the suit, explaining that its lawyer has proved substantial interest in the matter.
According to the judge, the earlier judgement was constitutionally defective as it was delivered without hearing from all interested parties.
He declared that such an omission rendered the entire process null and void.
Justice Dashen further ruled that the status quo be restored to what it was before the December 2025 judgement, pending the determination of the substantive suit.
He also observed that certain material facts were suppressed in the earlier proceedings, which justified the decision to set aside the judgment.
Consequently, the court ordered that the substantive suit commence afresh, with INEC, the PMP, and the NDC as parties to the case.
Counsel to PMP, C.S. Ekeocha, told journalists that the party approached the court after discovering that the NDC’s registration was based on a logo it had previously submitted to INEC before the commencement of the suit.
According to Ekeocha, the court agreed that the applicant’s rights had been affected and consequently vacated the earlier judgment.
“The court has ordered all parties to return to the position they occupied before the judgment of December 10, 2025, and directed the claimants to join all necessary parties to ensure the issues in dispute are effectually and completely determined,” he said.