The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has rejected a Federal High Court ruling in Lokoja that nullified an earlier judgment ordering the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the party.

The party’s National Chairman, Moses Zuwoghe, said the NDC has instructed its legal team to appeal the decision, insisting that the ruling cannot stand.

According to the party, the judgment followed a suit filed by the Peace Movement Party (PMP), which it described as an unregistered group with no connection to the NDC.

The NDC recalled that the court had in December 2025 directed INEC to register it after ruling that the commission violated its constitutional right to freedom of association.

The party said it had since carried out membership registration, conducted congresses at ward, local government, state and national levels, held its convention, completed primaries and participated in bye-elections.

It added that preparations were already underway to submit candidates’ names to INEC ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The NDC argued that the Federal High Court had already concluded the matter after its earlier judgment, adding that issues concerning the party’s logo and symbol had been resolved.

The party maintained that any challenge to the earlier judgment should have been pursued through an appeal rather than a fresh application at the same court.

It described the latest ruling as an attempt to overturn the previous decision through a “backdoor process,” insisting that the NDC has not been deregistered.

The party assured its members and candidates that it would continue its political activities while pursuing legal action at the Court of Appeal.

The NDC also accused unnamed individuals of trying to limit opposition participation and weaken Nigeria’s democratic space.

It called for the protection of political freedoms, saying Nigerians should have access to diverse political choices ahead of the 2027 elections.