… Set to appeal ruling
By Jude Opara
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) on Friday revealed that it has already set in motion moves to appeal the ruling of a Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja, Kogi state which annulled its registration as a political party in Nigeria.
National Chairman of the NDC, Sen. Moses Cleopas who disclosed this at a press conference said that the party is not in any way jittery over the ruling because it has no standing in law.
Sen. Cleopas said it was surprising that the court presided over by Justice Isah Dashen decided to make the pronouncement based on mere application by an unregistered association known as Peace Movement Party.
“The public knows that by December 2025, the Nigeria Democratic Congress as an association complained of INEC’s refusal to register us as a political party, whereupon we proceeded to the Federal High Court. The Federal High Court upheld our constitutional right to freedom of association under the Constitution and compelled INEC to register us, which INEC did.
“Since then we have started political activities, held congresses from wards to national levels, held convention and concluded primaries to all offices following the INEC timetable. We have been fully participating in all INEC activities without any hindrance.
“NDC took part in the bye elections in Nasarawa and Enugu states. Candidates for the 2027 elections are about to be forwarded to INEC”.
The National Chairman further stated that as a party, the NDC is not aware of the said litigants that dragged it to court.
“The association that filed the complaint is unknown to us. The Peace Movement Party (PMP) is not a registered political party in Nigeria. They claimed, in a motion (not even a substantive suit or appeal), that the court should set aside its earlier judgment on the purported ground that, in 2015, they had sought registration as a political party with the victory sign as their symbol and were denied.
“It is important to note that they are not an association applying for registration now under the exercise that started last year. They are also not a registered political party in Nigeria participating in the political process now, as we are.
“Furthermore, the court, having delivered a final judgment in our suit against INEC, had become functus officio. The court had also dealt with all related issues concerning associations claiming they wanted to use the same symbol and colours. The court, in its judgment, overruled INEC when those issues were raised, and there is no appeal against that judgment.
“Therefore, we are surprised that, on an application by an association claiming that it wanted to register as a political party with the victory sign in 2015, an association that is not a registered political party and is not seeking registration now to participate in the current political process, His Lordship came to the conclusion that they have locus standi, and furthermore, that he has jurisdiction to do what he did”.
Cleopas further revealed that the party has without any delay directed its lawyers to file an appeal against the ruling at the Court of Appeal.
“However, we are dissatisfied with the decision that has been made, and we have instructed our team of lawyers to immediately proceed to the Court of Appeal to challenge the jurisdiction and propriety of His Lordship’s order.
“We assure the general public, and particularly our candidates at all levels, that our party is on course. The NDC has not been deregistered, and we are challenging today’s order at the Court of Appeal as soon as possible. We have no doubt that justice will be done”.
He took a swipe at those he said were trying to shrink the democratic space by using every means to undermine the opposition parties, insisting that Nigerians must have the right to freely choose their leaders through the ballot.
“We condemn efforts by those who seek to shrink the democratic space and stifle opposition voices and alternatives. Nigerians have a right to a full range of opinions, ideas, and alternatives, and political platforms and candidates should be allowed to participate in the 2027 general election process, which has already gone midway.
“It is too late for anyone to attempt to use the judiciary to derail or narrow Nigeria’s multi-party democratic space. If the said association (Peace Movement Party) were a party affected by the judgment on our initial suit, the only option open to it was to appeal the verdict, an option which it did not take. Even at that, the window open for such appeal has since closed and any such appeal by now has become statute-barred.
“To now try to upturn that verdict through the back door, via a motion, is not only unheard-of, but also illegal and an outright abuse of court process”, the NDC boss concluded.
