The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has rejected the judgment of a Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja, Kogi State, which dismissed the party’s suit challenging the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) handled registration process and recognition frameworks.

The party described the verdict as a miscarriage of justice that fails to align with established electoral precedents and constitutional guidelines governing political party administration in Nigeria.

The legal dispute stems from the NDC’s grievances regarding registration protocols, administrative verifications, and compliance timelines set by INEC for newly emerging and re-strategizing political entities. The Kogi court, in its ruling, held that the party had failed to satisfy specific procedural and statutory requirements necessary to compel the electoral umpire to adjust its official register.

Vowing to test the sound position of the law at the upper bench, the leadership of the NDC announced that its legal team has already been directed to compile the records of proceedings and file an immediate appeal at the Court of Appeal.

The party maintained that its internal structures and documentation met all constitutional thresholds, and expressed confidence that the appellate court would set aside the lower court’s decision to ensure a level playing field ahead of upcoming electoral cycles.