The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it is yet to receive the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment delivered by the Federal High Court in Lokoja, which set aside an earlier order directing the commission to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a political party.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the INEC Chairman, Adedayo Oketola, said the commission was aware of reports concerning the June 26 judgment but could not comment on its implications until it officially obtained and reviewed the court’s decision.
According to the statement, the commission’s legal department is yet to receive the Certified True Copy of the judgment.
“The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is aware of reports circulating in the media regarding the judgment 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.
“However, as of this moment, the Commission has not yet received the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the court’s order,” the statement read.
INEC explained that its legal team would carefully study the judgment after obtaining the certified copy before deciding on the commission’s next line of action.
“Once the Commission’s legal department receives and thoroughly studies the CTC of the judgment, 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 added.
The commission’s response follows Friday’s ruling by Justice Isah Dashen of the Federal High Court in Lokoja, who nullified the court’s earlier judgment of December 10, 2025, that compelled INEC to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress as a political party.
Justice Dashen held that the rights of the Peace Movement Party (PMP) were adversely affected by the earlier judgment because the association, which claimed ownership of the logo relied upon in securing the registration order, was not joined as a party in the original suit.
The court consequently ordered all parties to return to the positions they occupied before the December 2025 judgment and directed that the substantive case be heard afresh with all necessary parties included in the proceedings.
Reacting to the decision, the Nigeria Democratic Congress rejected the ruling and announced plans to challenge it at the Court of Appeal.
The party’s National Chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas, maintained that the NDC had not been deregistered and argued that the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction to reopen a matter on which it had already delivered a final judgment.
Cleopas insisted that the party remained legally recognised pending the outcome of its appeal.
The judgment has continued to generate reactions from opposition politicians and stakeholders, including the NDC’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, the party’s National Leader, Senator Henry Dickson, and other opposition figures.
They described the ruling as a threat to Nigeria’s multi-party democratic system and vowed to pursue all available legal avenues to protect the party’s status.
Despite the controversy, INEC maintained that it would not take any official position until it receives and reviews the Certified True Copy of the judgment through its legal department.
The commission reiterated that any subsequent action would be guided strictly by the contents of the court’s decision and in accordance with the law.
