By John Azu
A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to upload and recognise the digital logo of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) as constitutionally approved by the party.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik issued the order on Wednesday while delivering judgment in a suit filed by the NDC over INEC’s refusal to revert to the party’s preferred logo as contained in its constitution.
The National Leader of the NDC, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, disclosed this in a statement on his X handle and during an interview on Arise TV.
According to Dickson, the party submitted its modified logo to INEC after its first National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, following which the commission uploaded it.
He, however, said INEC subsequently removed the modified logo and reverted to the logo with which the party was originally registered.
Dickson said the party waited for INEC to resolve the matter but was eventually compelled to seek judicial intervention.
He said the court, in its judgment, directed INEC to “forthwith upload and utilise” the modified digital logo.
Dickson commended the judiciary for what he described as a timely intervention, saying the judgment had upheld the party’s position and ensured that due process was followed.
He urged the party’s candidates and members to immediately adopt the approved logo in their campaign materials, including banners, posters and other publicity materials.
The former Bayelsa State governor acknowledged that some candidates and members might have already produced campaign materials bearing the earlier logo but urged them to replace such materials with the logo approved in the party’s constitution.
According to Dickson, both logos feature the two-finger victory sign, but the modified logo is the one constitutionally approved by the party and, he claimed, is more widely recognised.