The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has given a preliminary response to inquiries on the recent ruling by the Federal High Court in Lokoja, Kogi State, setting aside an earlier order relating to the registration of the opposition behemoth, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
INEC said earlier today, Saturday, June 27, 2026, that it has yet to receive the Certified True Copy of the judgement.
In an interview with PUNCH Online Adedayo Oketola, Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, said that the commission was aware of media reports on the June 26 judgement but could not comment on its specifics until it obtained and reviewed the court’s decision.
“The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is aware of reports circulating in the media regarding the judgement delivered on Friday, June 26, 2026, by the Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja, which set aside an earlier order concerning the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress.
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“However, as of this moment, the Commission has not yet received the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the court’s order,” PUNCH quoted Oketola as saying.
According to the commission, its legal department will study the judgement once the certified copy is received before determining the next course of action.
“Once the Commission’s legal department receives and thoroughly studies the CTC of the judgement, INEC will take an informed, lawful decision in line with the court’s directives.
“Until then, we cannot comment on the specifics of the ruling, and the public is urged to await the Commission’s formal position on the matter,” Oketola was further quoted as saying.
The commission’s initial reaction comes a day after Justice Isah Dashen of the Federal High Court in Lokoja set aside the court’s earlier judgement of December 10, 2025, which had directed INEC to register the NDC as a political party.
“The court held that the rights of the Peace Movement Party were affected by the earlier judgement because it was not joined in the suit despite claiming ownership of the logo relied upon in obtaining the order.
“The court consequently directed that all parties return to the positions they occupied before the December 2025 judgement and ordered a fresh hearing of the substantive case with all necessary parties joined.
“Following the ruling, the NDC rejected the decision and announced plans to challenge it at the Court of Appeal. The party’s National Chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas, maintained that the party had not been deregistered and argued that the trial court lacked jurisdiction to revisit a matter on which it had already delivered a final judgement.
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“The development has generated reactions from opposition figures and groups, including the NDC’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, the party’s National Leader, Senator Henry Dickson, and other opposition stakeholders, who described the ruling as a threat to Nigeria’s multiparty democracy and vowed to pursue all available legal remedies.
“INEC, however, said it would reserve its position until it receives and studies the Certified True Copy of the judgement.”
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