By Mick Oseji, Asaba
The presidential ticket of Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso has been thrown into uncertainty after a Federal High Court in Lokoja set aside its earlier judgment directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a political party.
The ruling casts a shadow over the duo’s political future after they dumped the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the NDC last month in a move widely seen as a major realignment ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The defections reshaped Nigeria’s opposition politics, particularly in the North-west geopolitical zone, a traditional stronghold of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), which has dominated presidential and most governorship elections in the region since coming to power in 2015.
Obi and Kwankwaso’s decision to join the NDC also disrupted earlier efforts by opposition leaders to forge a united front against President Bola Tinubu ahead of the January 2027 presidential election.
The pair had abandoned the opposition’s April “Ibadan Declaration” reached at a meeting hosted by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, opting instead for a platform they believed was free from internal legal disputes and would guarantee them unchallenged presidential and vice-presidential nominations. They eventually settled for the NDC, where the party’s founder and former Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, reportedly offered them the party’s presidential ticket.
However, Friday’s court ruling has placed that ticket in jeopardy by reversing the legal basis upon which the NDC was recognised.
Delivering the judgment, Justice Isah Dashen held that all parties with an interest in the matter must be heard before any substantive decision could be reached.
The court upheld an application filed by the Peace Movement Party (PMP), ruling that it was a necessary party to the suit and should have been joined in the earlier proceedings.
Justice Dashen declared that the previous judgment was constitutionally defective because it was delivered without hearing all interested parties, rendering the entire process null and void.
He ordered that the status quo be restored to the position that existed before the December 10, 2025 judgment pending the determination of the substantive suit.
The judge also held that material facts were suppressed during the earlier proceedings, a development he said justified setting aside the judgment.
Consequently, the court directed that the substantive suit should commence afresh, with INEC, the PMP and the NDC joined as parties.
Counsel to the PMP, Chikezie Ekeocha, told journalists that the party approached the court after discovering that the NDC’s registration was based on a logo it had previously submitted to INEC before the commencement of the suit.
According to Ekeocha, the court agreed that the PMP’s rights had been affected and consequently vacated the earlier judgment.
“The court has ordered all parties to return to the position they occupied before the judgment of December 10, 2025, and directed the claimants to join all necessary parties to ensure the issues in dispute are effectively and completely determined,” he said.
Ekeocha explained that the ruling effectively reverses every action taken by INEC in compliance with the now-vacated judgment.
“The recognition of the NDC, the issuance of its certificate of registration, its inclusion in INEC’s records and any appearance on ballot papers arising from that judgment must be withdrawn pending the final determination of the substantive suit,” he stated.
He, however, clarified that the substantive case remains before the court and has not been decided on its merits.
“The matter has not been concluded. The court merely set aside its previous judgment and directed that the party whose interests were affected be joined so that all sides can be heard before a fresh decision is reached,” he added.
The ruling effectively returns the dispute over the registration of the NDC to the Federal High Court for a fresh hearing, leaving the party’s legal status—and by extension the proposed Obi-Kwankwaso presidential ticket—subject to the outcome of the fresh proceedings.
…Court Order Against NDC a Temporary Setback – Obi
Meanwhile, former Anambra State Governor and the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) for the 2027 general election, Peter Obi, has described the Lokoja Federal High Court ruling restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising the NDC as a political party as a temporary obstacle rather than a fatal blow.
Obi urged his supporters across the country to remain calm, assuring them that his legal team is reviewing the judgment and preparing the appropriate legal response.
Reacting in a statement issued by the Peter Obi Media Reach (POMR) and signed by its spokesman, Idris Zekeri, Obi said the court’s decision would be challenged through legal means.
The statement noted that the media office had been inundated with enquiries from journalists and concerned Nigerians following what it described as the “strange court ruling.”
The statement read: “Peter Obi Media Reach. POMR has been bombarded with calls from the newsrooms and other concerned persons on the strange court ruling from a High Court in Lokoja, Kogi State. Below are our initial responses to inquiries pending legal views on it.
”We have received the news of today’s bizarre ruling from the court in Lokoja regarding the legal status of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC). While our legal teams are thoroughly reviewing the judgment to initiate immediate corrective and appellate measures, our Principal urges all our supporters, coalition partners, and patriots nationwide to remain absolutely calm and focused.
”We always knew that the journey to dismantle a deeply entrenched and grossly underperforming political status quo would be met with fierce institutional resistance and unexpected legal detours.
“Today’s ruling is a hurdle, not a stop sign. Our commitment to providing a transparent, legitimate, and formidable alternative for Nigerians remains unshakeable. The platform we are building is robust, and our legal rights will be vigorously pursued. Do not be discouraged; the vehicle may face a temporary breakdown, but our destination remains non-negotiable.”
