Seriake Dickson, national leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), on Saturday said the party is under attack from forces aggrieved by its rapid progress but will prevail, after a federal high court set aside an earlier order directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the NDC.
In a judgment in suit FHC/LKJ/CS/49/2025, presiding Judge Isah Dashen vacated his December 10, 2025, ruling that had compelled INEC to register the NDC as a political party. The judge said the earlier judgment was delivered without hearing all necessary parties and was therefore constitutionally defective.
The ruling, handed down following an application by the Peace Movement Party (PMP), found that the PMP had a legal interest in the matter and should have been joined in the suit. The judge also said material facts were not disclosed in the earlier proceedings and ordered that the substantive suit begin afresh with INEC, the PMP and the NDC joined as parties.
Dickson described the ruling as “lacking legal merit” and “intended to affect the foundational credibility and efforts of our party,” adding that the order was “illegal and will not stand.” He called the decision “anti‑democratic” and said it was aimed at narrowing the democratic space.
The former Bayelsa governor said the NDC had assembled a team of lawyers to challenge the ruling and urged members and supporters to remain calm. “We are not naive to expect that the tremendous progress we have achieved in the last five months would go without attack,” he said, accusing the applicants of acting from “those who are shocked by the progress the NDC has made.”
Dickson also criticised the judge’s handling of the earlier judgment, saying the court “clearly erred in law” and that the party would pursue all available judicial remedies. He sought to reassure supporters that the party remained on course despite the setback. “We are under attack, as I have repeatedly said we should prepare for challenges such as this. But thereafter, we shall win,” he said.
He further claimed that the ruling had led to increased support for the party, saying “thousands of Nigerians” had registered as NDC members in solidarity following the decision.
The federal high court’s order requires the substantive dispute over the NDC’s registration to be reheard with all interested parties joined. It is now for the parties to take the next steps in the restarted proceedings.
