NDC: Lokoja judgment a setback for democracy — Obi

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Peter Obi

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The presidential candidate of Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi has expressed concern over Friday’s ruling by a Federal High Court in Lokoja setting aside its earlier judgment directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a political party.

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In a statement posted on his Facebook page on Friday, Obi described the judgment as “another setback for our democracy and the institutions upon which our future depends.”

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The former Anambra State governor said he received news of the court’s decision while attending an event at Madonna University after earlier engagements in Imo State, including a visit to the School of Nursing Sciences in Emekuku and the 80th birthday celebration of the Emeritus Archbishop of Owerri, Most Rev. Dr. Anthony Obinna.

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According to Obi, every Nigerian committed to the country’s progress should be concerned about the implications of the ruling.

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“This judgment represents another setback for our democracy and the institutions upon which our future depends,” he said.

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He argued that democratic institutions must remain independent and credible, warning that actions capable of eroding public confidence in them could have long-term consequences for the country.

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“It is regrettable that some who claim to champion democracy now appear determined to weaken the very institutions that sustain it. In doing so, they are undermining public confidence and endangering the future of millions of Nigerians,” Obi stated.

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He also expressed concern about what he described as the weakening of democratic institutions, saying the legislature and judiciary must remain independent for democracy to thrive.

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Obi said his reaction was based on principle rather than political interest, recalling that he had previously criticised similar developments involving the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

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“My concern is not about who becomes President. My concern is that Nigeria works. Our politics must move beyond the quest for power and focus instead on building a united nation founded on justice, strong institutions, the rule of law and equal opportunity,” he said.

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He urged Nigerians to rise above partisan interests and defend the country’s democratic institutions.

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Meanwhile, Justice Isah Dashen of the Federal High Court in Lokoja on Friday set aside the court’s December 10, 2025 judgment directing INEC to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a political party.

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The judge held that the earlier judgment adversely affected the rights of the Peace Movement Party (PMP), which was not joined in the suit despite claiming ownership of the logo relied upon in obtaining the judgment.

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Counsel to the applicant, C.S. Ekeocha, told journalists that the court agreed the PMP’s rights could be affected and consequently vacated the earlier judgment.

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According to him, the court directed all parties to return to the position they occupied before the December 10, 2025 judgment and ordered that all necessary parties be joined before the substantive issues are determined.

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Ekeocha said the implication of the ruling is that actions taken by INEC pursuant to the earlier judgment, including the recognition of the NDC, issuance of its certificate of registration and its inclusion in the commission’s records, stand reversed pending the determination of the substantive suit.

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He, however, clarified that the substantive case remains before the court and has not yet been decided.

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