Reps caucus rejects judgment deregistering NDC 

From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja 

The House of Representatives Caucus of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has rejected the order of a Federal High Court, Lokoja, Kogi State, ordering the de-recognition of the opposition party.

The NDC caucus, in a statement by its leader, Afam Ogene, on Friday, said the Court order is tantamount to a judicial coup against the country’s democracy.

The Federal High Court had earlier directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the NDC as a political party, but the court, in a ruling on Friday, vacated the earlier order.

The opposition lawmakers said the Court order confirms an alleged renewed move to stifle opposition in the country, ahead of the 2027 general election.

“For us and many Nigerians, this is not an error of law. It is an assault on democracy. This is a calculated pattern of judicial harassment. Nigerians have seen this script before. An earlier controversial judgment out of Abuja sought to de-register five political parties by fiat. 

“But the Court of Appeal promptly reversed that recklessness, affirming that no court can extinguish a political party through judicial shortcuts. Many Nigerians believed at the time that such an ugly chapter was closed. Sadly, today’s ruling confirms a renewed campaign to suffocate opposition by other means.” 

The caucus argued: “The 90-day statutory window to challenge our party’s registration closed long ago. And strangely, INEC, the only constitutionally empowered body for party registration, was not the appellant in today’s curious judgment. A court cannot sit in judgment over its own earlier judgment, and one in which the principal party in the matter, INEC itself, is not contesting.  

“We consider this outrageous development as ‘Forum Shopping’. This was not an appeal. The matter was surreptitiously returned to the same court that earlier ordered INEC to register the NDC. That is not jurisprudence; rather, it is law fare — the weaponisation of the judiciary against political opponents.”