Court Speaks On Deregistering NDC

The Kogi State High Court has dismissed reports circulating on social media claiming that it ordered the deregistration of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), describing the information as false and misleading.

The court stated that it has never handled or delivered any judgment relating to the registration or deregistration of the NDC or any other political party in the country.

This clarification was contained in a statement issued in Lokoja by the court’s Chief Information Officer, Saqeeb Saeed.

According to the statement, the false report was circulated alongside photographs of the Chief Judge of Kogi State, Justice Josiah Majebi, and former Governor Yahaya Bello, giving the false impression that the ruling originated from the Kogi State High Court.

The court explained that it would not usually respond to reports circulating on social media but decided to address the issue because the publication had the potential to mislead members of the public and affect the reputation of the judiciary.

It warned that the spread of false information capable of damaging the image of judges, the High Court of Justice or courts under its supervision would no longer be tolerated.

The judiciary also advised the public, especially content creators and online publishers, to verify information before releasing stories that could mislead people.

It urged Nigerians to disregard the viral report and assured citizens that it would continue to perform its constitutional responsibilities fairly, diligently and without prejudice.

The clarification comes a few weeks after Justice Isah Dashen of the Kogi State High Court reportedly nullified an earlier judgment that had deregistered the NDC.

Justice Dashen ruled that all parties with a direct interest in the matter must be given an opportunity to present their case before any final decision is reached.

He granted an application filed by the Peace Movement Party (PMP), agreeing that the party should be joined in the suit because the outcome of the case directly affects it.

The judge also held that the judgment delivered in December 2025 could not stand because it was issued without hearing all the necessary parties involved in the matter.

According to the court, that omission rendered the entire proceedings defective.

Justice Dashen restored the position of all parties to what it was before the December 2025 judgment pending the determination of the substantive suit.

He also stated that certain material facts were not presented during the earlier proceedings, making it necessary to cancel the previous ruling.

The court directed that the main case should begin afresh, with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Peace Movement Party and the National Democratic Congress participating fully in the new hearing.