The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal has set aside a Federal High Court judgment that deregistered the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
In a two-member majority ruling delivered on Friday, the appellate court held that the Federal High Court’s 26 June 2026 judgment amounted to an abuse of judicial power.
The Court of Appeal ruled that the lower court erred by entertaining proceedings that effectively amounted to a review of its own earlier judgment of 10 December 2025, which had directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the NDC.
The appellate judges also dismissed the dispute surrounding the NDC’s use of a logo alleged to belong to another political association, the Peace Movement Party (PMP).
The issue had formed part of the basis of the appeal against the December 2025 judgment, with Justice Isah Dashen challenging the decision.
With the latest ruling, the Court of Appeal has overturned the June 26, 2026 decision deregistering the NDC, effectively restoring the position established by the earlier judgment directing INEC to register the party.
