The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it will not take a position on the recent Federal High Court judgment concerning the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) until it receives and reviews the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the ruling.
Speaking on Saturday, the Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the INEC Chairman, Adedayo Oketola, said the commission was aware of media reports on the June 26 judgment delivered by the Federal High Court in Lokoja but could not comment on its contents without first studying the certified copy.
“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.
“However, as of this moment, the Commission has not yet received the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the court’s order,” he said.
Oketola explained that the commission’s legal department would review the judgment immediately after receiving the certified copy and advise on the appropriate legal and administrative steps.
“Once the Commission’s legal department receives and thoroughly studies the CTC of the judgment, INEC will take an informed, lawful decision in line with the court’s directives.
“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,” he added.
The commission’s response follows Friday’s ruling by Justice Isah Dashen of the Federal High Court in Lokoja, which set aside the court’s earlier judgment of December 10, 2025, directing INEC to register the NDC as a political party.
Justice Dashen held that the rights of the Peace Movement Party were affected by the earlier judgment because it was not joined in the suit despite claiming ownership of the logo relied upon to obtain the registration order.
The court subsequently restored all parties to the positions they occupied before the December 2025 judgment and ordered a fresh hearing of the substantive suit with all necessary parties joined.
Reacting to the ruling, the NDC rejected the decision and announced plans to appeal. Its National Chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas, insisted the party 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 judgment has also drawn criticism from opposition figures, including the NDC’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, the party’s National Leader, Senator Henry Dickson, and other opposition stakeholders, who described the decision as a setback for Nigeria’s multiparty democracy and pledged to pursue all available legal remedies.
INEC, however, maintained that it would reserve its official position until it receives and studies the Certified True Copy of the judgment.
