The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has intensified preparations to challenge a Federal High Court ruling that voided its registration, with top party leaders holding a series of emergency meetings ahead of filing an appeal.
The party’s leadership, including presidential candidate Peter Obi, National Leader Seriake Dickson, members of the National Working Committee and other key stakeholders, concluded marathon strategy sessions over the weekend as they prepared to approach the Court of Appeal on Monday.
The legal battle follows a decision by the Federal High Court in Lokoja, Kogi State, which overturned an earlier judgment directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the NDC.
The ruling has heightened political tensions, with opposition figures describing it as an attempt to weaken alternative political forces ahead of the 2027 general elections.
A senior party official, who requested anonymity because he was not authorised to speak publicly, said the leadership had been meeting continuously since the judgment was delivered to finalise its legal strategy.
According to the source, Obi, Dickson, the party’s national chairman, national secretary and other senior officials attended Saturday’s closed-door meeting before reconvening on Sunday to conclude preparations for the appeal.
While declining to reveal who would head the legal team, the official confirmed that the party’s National Legal Adviser, Reuben Egwuaba, would play a central role in the proceedings.
National Secretary Ikenna Enekweizu also confirmed that the appeal would be filed on Monday but said the party would only unveil its legal team after the court processes had been submitted.
He criticised the Lokoja ruling, describing it as unprecedented and lacking any legal foundation, while expressing confidence that the appellate court would reverse the decision.
According to him, the judgment represents an attempt to narrow Nigeria’s democratic space by preventing the party from participating fully in the electoral process.
Enekweizu insisted that the NDC remained confident in the judiciary and maintained that all of the party’s candidates, from the presidential ticket to state assembly aspirants, would appear on the ballot for the 2027 elections.
The National Leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, also rallied support for the party, insisting that the court setback would not derail its political ambitions.
Following a meeting with Dickson in Abuja on Sunday, Kwankwaso said the visit formed part of ongoing consultations aimed at strengthening the NDC ahead of the next general election.
In a statement posted on his verified Facebook page, the former Kano State governor said the party remained united and committed to pursuing justice through lawful means.
He urged members and supporters to remain calm, insisting that no temporary legal setback could weaken a movement built on hope, justice and equity.
Kwankwaso also expressed confidence that the judicial process would ultimately favour the party.
The latest ruling came barely two days after the Lokoja court vacated its earlier judgment directing INEC to register the NDC and ordered that the substantive case be heard afresh.
The court held that the earlier judgment had been delivered without hearing all parties with interests in the dispute, particularly the Peace Movement Party, which claimed ownership of the contested party logo.
The decision effectively restored all parties to their positions before the December 10, 2025 judgment that recognised the NDC.
INEC has since said it is awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before taking further action.
The NDC has emerged as one of the country’s major opposition platforms following the defection of prominent politicians, including Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso, ahead of the 2027 elections.
National Chairman Moses Cleopas said the party had anticipated legal and political challenges and remained confident that the Court of Appeal would overturn the judgment.
He argued that the ruling reflected an abuse of the judicial process and insisted the party would not be intimidated.
Cleopas also disclosed that beyond its legal challenge, the NDC had begun engaging civil society organisations, professional associations and media groups as part of a broader public advocacy campaign.
According to him, the party plans to hold a series of press conferences and stakeholder engagements in the coming days.
Dickson appealed to party members and candidates not to lose confidence following the court decision.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, he dismissed reports suggesting that some aspirants were considering abandoning the party, insisting that its candidates remained committed.
He maintained that the NDC had not been deregistered and expressed confidence that its candidates would eventually be listed by INEC for the 2027 elections.
Dickson also ruled out any immediate move to petition the National Judicial Council against the trial judge, saying the party’s priority was pursuing available legal remedies through the appellate courts.
He described the ruling as a distraction but said the judiciary’s hierarchy provided an avenue for correcting judicial errors.
The Obi-Kwankwaso Movement endorsed the decision to appeal, saying it had anticipated the ruling and remained convinced it would be overturned.
Its National Coordinator, John Ughulu, said the group was prepared for what it described as attempts to frustrate the opposition and insisted the legal challenge would succeed.
The Obidient Movement also reaffirmed its support, maintaining that the judgment would not prevent the party from participating in the 2027 elections.
The Ondo State chapter of the NDC similarly rejected the ruling, arguing that the trial court lacked jurisdiction to revisit a final judgment that had already led to the party’s registration.
State Chairman Kennedy Peretei said the party had fully complied with electoral laws since its registration, conducting congresses, conventions, primary elections and participating in INEC activities.
He announced that the party had instructed its legal team to challenge both the jurisdiction of the trial court and the substance of the ruling before the Court of Appeal.
Legal experts say the party still has constitutional avenues to challenge the judgment.
Senior Advocate of Nigeria Adedayo Adedeji said the ruling does not automatically disqualify the party or its candidates from participating in future elections, noting that every litigant has a constitutional right to appeal decisions of the Federal High Court.
Another Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Itse Sagay, said the Court of Appeal was expected to treat the matter urgently because of its political significance.
He cautioned judges against issuing decisions capable of determining political participation, arguing that such questions should ultimately be decided by voters.
Senior Advocate Adelola Adedipe offered a different perspective, explaining that the latest ruling merely set aside the earlier judicial order that facilitated the NDC’s registration because necessary parties had not been heard.
According to him, the substantive case remains before the court, meaning the legal issues surrounding the party’s registration have yet to be finally determined.
He added that while the NDC could seek interim relief through an appeal and an application for a stay of execution, the party would still need to successfully argue the substantive issues before the courts.
