The Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja has set aside its earlier judgment directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the National Democratic Coalition (NDC) as a political party.
Delivering the ruling, Justice Isah Dashen held that the previous judgment was constitutionally defective because it was delivered without hearing from all parties with an interest in the matter.
The decision followed an application filed by the Peace Movement Party (PMP), which argued that the NDC's registration was based on a logo the PMP had earlier submitted to INEC before the commencement of the suit.
Justice Dashen ruled that all relevant parties must be given the opportunity to present their cases before any substantive decision could be reached.
The court consequently ordered that the substantive suit begin afresh, with INEC, the Peace Movement Party, and the NDC joined as parties in the case.
The judge also directed that the status quo be restored to what it was before the December 2025 judgment pending the determination of the substantive suit.
Speaking to journalists after the ruling, counsel to the applicant, Chikezie Ekeocha, said the PMP approached the court after discovering that the NDC's registration was based on a logo the party had previously submitted to INEC before the legal action commenced.
Ekeocha said the court agreed that the applicant's rights had been affected and consequently vacated the earlier judgment directing INEC to register the NDC as a political party.
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