National leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Seriake Dickson, has dismissed concerns over last Friday’s Federal High Court ruling in Lokoja, insisting that the party remains legally recognised and that all candidates nominated for the 2027 general elections remain validly in the race.
Dickson made the clarification during an interview on Sunday Politics, where he faulted the court’s decision setting aside its earlier judgment that compelled the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the NDC as a political party. The ruling followed an application by the Peace Movement Party (PMP), which argued that it was not joined in the original suit despite claiming ownership of the logo used by the NDC. Justice Isah Dashen subsequently ordered that parties be restored to their pre-judgment positions pending a fresh hearing.
Reacting to the development, Dickson described the ruling as legally flawed, arguing that the court had become functus officio after delivering its earlier judgment and therefore lacked the jurisdiction to revisit the matter.
“I join our national chairman and other officers of the party in expressing shock and disagreement with the ruling. We believe the court had no jurisdiction to sit on appeal over its own judgment, and we are taking the appropriate legal steps to ensure that the right thing is done,” he said.
The former Bayelsa State governor assured party members that the judgment had not resulted in the deregistration of the NDC, maintaining that the party had already validly conducted primaries nationwide under the supervision of INEC.
“The NDC has not been deregistered. We have validly nominated candidates for all elective offices, from state assemblies to the presidency. Those nominations were monitored by INEC and remain valid,” Dickson stated.
He argued that while submission of candidates’ names to INEC is an administrative process, the legal basis of candidature is established through duly conducted party primaries.
According to him, the party would immediately challenge the ruling at the Court of Appeal, expressing confidence that the appellate courts would overturn what he described as an “irregular judgment.”
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Dickson also rejected interpretations suggesting that the ruling had automatically returned the NDC to its pre-registration status, insisting that the court did not expressly order INEC to deregister the party.
He further questioned the legal standing of the Peace Movement Party, contending that it was neither a registered political party nor a recognised political association under Nigerian law and therefore lacked the status to challenge the NDC’s registration.
Despite the legal dispute, Dickson said the controversy had generated increased public interest in the party, revealing that thousands of Nigerians had visited the NDC’s website since Friday to register as members.
“I want to assure all our candidates and supporters that the NDC is on course. Their candidatures are not affected, and we remain confident that the judicial process will ultimately correct this anomaly,” he said.
The NDC had earlier announced its decision to appeal the Lokoja ruling, insisting that it remains a legally registered political party and describing the court’s decision as an attempt to undermine Nigeria’s multi-party democracy.