On Monday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) presented the certificate of registration to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), one of the two political parties recently registered by the Commission.
Receiving the certificate on behalf of the party, the Protem National Legal Adviser of NDC, Barrister Reuben Egwuaba, said the presentation formally admits the party into the league of registered political parties “in contention for the provision of democratic leadership and the contest for power in ways that would make Nigerians at home and in the diaspora proud.”
Egwuaba described the event as the climax of a long legal battle that began in 2017 when the association first applied to INEC for registration as a political party.
He noted that the NDC was among 171 political organizations that initially applied but were denied registration, despite meeting all thestipulated requirements.
According to him, the Commission had argued at the time that NDC’s logo bore a resemblance to that of the All Progressives Congress (APC), a claim he described as unfounded.
He added that NDC was excluded from the final list of 14 associations considered for the last stage of screening.
The party subsequently challenged INEC’s decision in court, arguing that the refusal was based on wrong assumptions and amounted to an improper exercise of executive discretion.
Egwuaba explained that the court ruled in favour of NDC, affirming that its logo was distinct from that of the APC and noting that another association cited by INEC as having a similar logo was not even a registered entity.
Following the ruling, the court directed INEC to register the party.
Egwuaba, who served as lead counsel in the case, expressed appreciation to the judiciary for upholding justice and fairness. “We are reassured that the judiciary remains the last hope of the common man,” he said.
He also commended INEC and its Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), for complying promptly with the court order, describing the Commission’s action as a sign of commitment to transparency and fairness ahead of future elections.
Calling the development “a victory for democracy,” Egwuaba invited Nigerians to join the NDC, presenting it as an alternative political platform.
He disclosed that the party is expected to participate in upcoming elections, particularly the 2027 general elections, with a formal unveiling to be announced soon.
