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The Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja, Kogi State, has nullified its earlier judgment directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a political party, paving the way for a fresh hearing of the legal dispute.

Justice Isah Dashen, who delivered the ruling on Friday, held that the previous judgment could not stand because it was reached without hearing all parties whose interests were directly affected by the case.

The court upheld an application brought by the Peace Movement Party (PMP), ruling that the party was an indispensable party to the proceedings and should have been given the opportunity to present its case before any final decision was made.

Justice Dashen stated that the failure to join the PMP in the earlier proceedings violated the constitutional principle of fair hearing, rendering the December 10, 2025 judgment null and void.

The judge further held that material facts were not disclosed during the original proceedings, making it necessary for the court to vacate the judgment and restore the legal position that existed before it was delivered.

Consequently, the court ordered that all actions taken pursuant to the December 2025 judgment be reversed pending the determination of the substantive suit. It also directed that the case should begin afresh, with INEC, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), and the Peace Movement Party (PMP) participating as parties in the proceedings.

Reacting to the judgment, counsel to the applicant, Chikezie Ekeocha, said the Peace Movement Party approached the court after discovering that the NDC’s registration was allegedly based on a logo previously submitted to INEC by the PMP before the commencement of the suit.

He explained that the court agreed that the applicant’s legal interests had been affected by the earlier proceedings and consequently set aside the judgment.

“The court has ordered all parties to return to the position they occupied before the judgment of December 10, 2025, and directed the claimants to join all necessary parties to ensure the issues in dispute are effectually and completely determined,” Ekeocha told journalists.

He added that the ruling effectively reverses every administrative step taken by INEC pursuant to the earlier judgment.

According to him, the recognition of the Nigeria Democratic Congress as a registered political party, the issuance of its certificate of registration, its inclusion in INEC’s official records and any electoral processes arising from the judgment must be withdrawn pending the final resolution of the case.

Ekeocha, however, emphasized that the substantive suit remains alive before the court.

“The matter has not been concluded. The court merely set aside its previous judgment and directed that the party whose interests were affected be joined so that all parties can be heard before a fresh decision is taken,” he said.

He also dismissed claims that the court merely ordered parties to maintain the status quo, insisting that the ruling specifically restored the legal position that existed before the December 10, 2025 judgment.

The latest ruling resets the legal contest over the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress and underscores the judiciary’s insistence that disputes involving political parties must be determined only after all affected parties have been afforded a fair hearing. The fresh proceedings are expected to clarify the competing claims surrounding the party’s registration and the issues raised by the Peace Movement Party.