National Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Seriake Dickson, has assured the party’s candidates that their nominations for the 2027 general elections remain valid despite a recent Federal High Court ruling that set aside an earlier order directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the party.
Dickson gave the assurance during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, where he urged party members and supporters to remain calm, insisting that the legal challenge does not threaten the party’s participation in the elections.
He maintained that the NDC had not been deregistered and that all its candidates were validly nominated through primaries monitored by INEC in line with the electoral timetable.
According to him, the party successfully conducted primaries for all elective positions, including the State Houses of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate, governorship and the presidential election, with all nominations remaining legally binding.
Dickson explained that while the submission of candidates’ names to INEC is an administrative process, the nominations themselves derive their validity from the duly conducted primaries.
He thanked Nigerians for their support, revealing that thousands of people had continued registering with the party following the court ruling, describing the growing public interest as a vote of confidence in the NDC and its vision.
The reassurance followed a judgment by the Federal High Court in Lokoja, which vacated its earlier decision directing INEC to register the NDC.
Justice Isah Dashen ruled that the earlier judgment adversely affected the rights of the Peace Movement Party (PMP), which claimed ownership of the logo used in securing the registration order but was not joined as a party in the original suit.
Counsel to the applicant, C.S. Ekeocha, said the PMP approached the court after discovering that the NDC’s registration process relied on a logo it had earlier submitted to INEC, prompting the court to set aside its previous judgment.
Despite the setback, Dickson expressed confidence that the party’s legal team would successfully address the matter, insisting that the court ruling does not invalidate the NDC’s structure, candidates or preparations for the 2027 elections.
