Peter Obi’s Name Appears on INEC Portal as NDC Fights Court Nullification

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has filed an appeal against a Federal High Court ruling that set aside an earlier judgment directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the party as a political organisation.

The Federal High Court in Lokoja, Kogi State, on Friday reversed its December 2025 judgment following an application by the Peace Movement Party (PMP), which argued that it was not joined in the original suit. Justice Isah Dashen upheld the PMP’s application, ruling that all relevant parties must be heard before any substantive decision can be made in the matter. The judge declared that the omission rendered the entire process null and void, ordering that the status quo be restored to what it was before the December 2025 judgment, pending the determination of the substantive suit.

In a Facebook post on Monday night, the National Leader of the NDC, Seriake Dickson, announced that the party has filed an appeal and is also seeking a stay of execution of the ruling. Mr Dickson, who is the NDC’s candidate for Bayelsa West District, said the court process has been served on the INEC chairman and his team.

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“Having filed and served our appeal and the accompanying applications, the ball is now in the court of the judiciary, and we expect the judiciary to do what is right under the law,” he stated.

Mr Dickson also confirmed that, following the appeal, INEC has granted the NDC access to upload the party’s candidates to its portal. “We have been granted access to the INEC portal to upload our qualified candidates. My name and that of the presidential candidate (Peter Obi) have been uploaded to the INEC portal, while that of the vice presidential candidate will be done tomorrow (today) upon completion of the deposition,” he said.

The development marks the latest twist in the NDC’s legal battle for recognition as a political party. With the appeal now filed, the judiciary is expected to determine the fate of the party’s registration and its candidates ahead of the next electoral cycle.

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