National Leader of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Seriake Dickson, has insisted that the party remains a legally recognised political platform and that its candidates will participate in the 2027 general election.
Dickson made the assertion on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics while reacting to the recent judgment of the Federal High Court in Lokoja, Kogi State, which set aside an earlier ruling directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the party.
Justice Isah Dashen, in a judgment delivered on Friday, nullified the December 10, 2025 ruling that had compelled INEC to register the NDC. The decision followed an application by the Peace Movement Party (PMP), which argued that it was not joined in the original suit despite having a legal interest in the matter.
The court held that all parties with vested interests ought to have been heard before the earlier judgment was delivered and consequently ordered that the matter be heard afresh with all relevant parties properly joined.
However, Dickson described the judgment as irregular, disclosing that the party has already commenced the appeal process.
He urged party members, candidates and supporters to remain calm, stressing that there was no basis for panic.
“I assure all our candidates and members that nominations were validly conducted through primary elections at all levels—from the State Houses of Assembly and National Assembly to the governorship and presidential primaries. These exercises were monitored by INEC, and both our presidential candidate and running mate were duly nominated,” he said.
According to him, the submission of candidates’ names to INEC is merely an administrative process, insisting that the NDC has not been deregistered.
“The court did not order the deregistration of the NDC, and no such step has been taken. Once our appeal is filed, the matter will proceed through the judicial process, and we are confident that the irregular judgment will be set aside,” he added.
Dickson argued that under Nigeria’s judicial system, any party dissatisfied with a High Court judgment should seek redress through the appellate courts rather than returning to another High Court to challenge an existing judgment.
He maintained that over 1,000 NDC candidates across various elective positions have already acquired valid legal interests through their successful nominations.
“We expect that the appeal process and other applications before the courts will correct this anomaly. Our candidates’ nominations remain valid, having been monitored, recorded and recognised by INEC,” he said.
Speaking further on the Lokoja judgment, Dickson maintained that it did not contain any express order directing INEC to deregister the NDC.
“The court could have expressly ordered the deregistration of the party if that was its intention, but it did not. We also contend that the court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the application and make the orders it did. These are issues the appellate courts will determine,” he stated.
He expressed confidence that the Court of Appeal would overturn the ruling, adding that the party’s legal team had already filed the necessary applications.
Dickson also questioned the legal standing of the Peace Movement Party (PMP), describing it as an unregistered association with no legal capacity to institute the action.
According to him, the organisation is neither a registered political party nor recognised under Nigerian law to participate in electoral activities.
“The entity that filed the application is unknown to Nigerian law as a political party. It is not registered by INEC, it has no recognised leadership, office or political activities. Only registered political parties can participate in the country’s electoral process,” he said.
He further argued that the association had unsuccessfully applied for registration in 2015 and had remained inactive since then.
Dickson expressed confidence that the NDC would perform strongly in the 2027 general election, adding that the party remains open to alliances that would strengthen its chances at the polls.
He also said President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) could be defeated in the next election if Nigerians unite behind a common objective.
On security, the former Bayelsa State governor welcomed ongoing efforts by both the executive and the National Assembly to establish state police but advocated broader decentralisation of policing powers to the zonal, state and local government levels to enhance security across the country.
