The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, and the party have rejected the recent judgment of the Federal High Court in Lokoja that set aside an earlier ruling directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the NDC as a political party.

Reacting to the decision, Obi described the ruling as “another setback for Nigeria’s democracy,” but insisted it was a temporary hurdle, not a stop sign. He urged party members and supporters to remain calm, saying the legal team was already reviewing the judgment and would immediately challenge it through the appeal process.

The NDC also maintained that it had not been deregistered, arguing that the court merely set aside an earlier judgment on procedural grounds and that the party remains confident it will prevail on appeal. Party officials said they would pursue all available legal remedies to protect the party’s status and participation in the 2027 political process.

The Federal High Court in Lokoja vacated its December 2025 judgment after ruling that the earlier decision was constitutionally defective because not all interested parties were heard before the order directing INEC to register the NDC was granted.