The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it is yet to receive the Certified True Copy (CTC) of a Federal High Court judgment delivered on Friday, June 26, 2026, which set aside an earlier order directing the commission to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a political party.
In a statement issued on Saturday, INEC’s Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the Chairman, Adedayo Oketola, confirmed that the commission was aware of widespread media reports about the ruling but could not comment on its details until it obtains and reviews the official court document.
“The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is aware of reports circulating in the media regarding the judgment delivered on Friday, June 26, 2026, by the Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja, which set aside an earlier order concerning the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress,” Oketola said.
“However, as of this moment, the Commission has not yet received the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the court’s order.”
He added that INEC’s legal department would thoroughly study the judgment upon receipt of the CTC before determining the commission’s next line of action in line with the court’s directives.
“Once the Commission’s legal department receives and thoroughly studies the CTC of the judgment, INEC will take an informed, lawful decision,” the statement read. “Until then, we cannot comment on the specifics of the ruling, and the public is urged to await the Commission’s formal position on the matter.”
The judgment, delivered by Justice Isah Dashen of the Federal High Court in Lokoja, nullified the court’s earlier decision of December 10, 2025, which had ordered INEC to register the NDC. Justice Dashen ruled that the rights of the Peace Movement Party were affected by the previous judgment, as the party was not joined in the suit despite claiming ownership of the logo used in securing the registration order.
The court ordered that all parties revert to the positions they occupied before the December 2025 ruling and directed a fresh hearing of the substantive suit with all necessary parties properly joined.
The NDC has rejected the latest decision and announced plans to appeal to the Court of Appeal. The party’s National Chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas, insisted that the NDC had not been deregistered and argued that the trial court lacked jurisdiction to revisit a matter on which it had already delivered a final judgment.
The ruling has sparked strong reactions from opposition figures and groups. NDC’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, National Leader Senator Henry Dickson, and other opposition stakeholders have described the decision as a threat to Nigeria’s multiparty democracy and vowed to exhaust all legal remedies available.
INEC, however, maintained it would reserve its position until it receives and studies the Certified True Copy of the judgment.
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