By BONIFACE AKARAH

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has outlined what it described as compelling legal grounds why a recent ruling of the Federal High Court in Lokoja setting aside its earlier registration judgment cannot stand, insisting that the court lacked jurisdiction to revisit a matter on which it had already delivered a final decision.

The party made the position known in a statement amplified by the Good Governance Group (GGG), while assuring members and candidates that it had not been deregistered and had already instructed its lawyers to challenge the ruling at the Court of Appeal.

According to the NDC, it became a registered political party after the Federal High Court, in December 2025, upheld its constitutional right to freedom of association and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register it.

"The Federal High Court upheld our constitutional right to freedom of association under the Constitution and compelled INEC to register us, which INEC did," the statement said.

The party said it had since commenced full political activities, including membership registration, congresses from the ward to national levels, conventions and primary elections in line with INEC's timetable.

It added that it also fielded candidates in the recent bye-elections in Nasarawa and Enugu states and had already nominated candidates for the House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate, governorship, presidential and vice-presidential elections.

"NDC also fielded candidates, and fully participated, in the just-concluded bye elections in Nasarawa and Enugu states," the statement noted.

Explaining why it believes the latest court order is legally defective, the party said the application was filed by an unregistered association known as the Peace Movement Party (PMP), which it said was neither participating in the current registration exercise nor recognised as a political party.

"The association that filed the complaint is unknown to us. The Peace Movement Party (PMP) is not a registered political party in Nigeria," the NDC stated.

It explained that the association merely claimed it had unsuccessfully sought registration in 2015 using the victory sign as its symbol and asked the court, through a motion rather than a substantive suit or appeal, to set aside its earlier judgment.

The party argued that the trial court had become *functus officio* after delivering its final judgment in the case and therefore lacked the jurisdiction to reopen the matter.

"Furthermore, the court, having delivered a final judgment in our suit against INEC, had become functus officio," the statement said.

According to the NDC, the earlier judgment had already resolved issues relati

ng to the use of its symbol and colours after overruling INEC's objections, adding that no appeal had been filed against that decision.

"Therefore, we are surprised that, on an application by an association claiming that it wanted to register as a political party with the victory sign in 2015... His Lordship came to the conclusion that they have locus standi, and furthermore, that he has jurisdiction to do what he did," the party said.

The NDC acknowledged that the court had set aside its December 2025 judgment but maintained that the ruling did not order its deregistration.

"There was no order directing our deregistration. However, we are dissatisfied with the decision that has been made, and we have instructed our team of lawyers to immediately proceed to the Court of Appeal to challenge the jurisdiction and propriety of His Lordship's order," the statement read.

Reassuring party faithful, the NDC said: "Our party is on course. The NDC has not been deregistered, and we are challenging today's order at the Court of Appeal as soon as possible. We have no doubt that justice will be done."

The party also condemned what it described as attempts to narrow Nigeria's democratic space ahead of the 2027 general elections.

"We condemn efforts by those who seek to shrink the democratic space and stifle opposition voices and alternatives," the statement added, insisting that Nigerians deserve "a full range of opinions, ideas and alternatives" as the electoral process progresses.