"There Was No Court Order Deregistering the NDC": National Secretary Ikenna Enekweizu Breaks Down the Legal Dispute on Arise News
Appearing on Arise News, the National Secretary of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Barr. Ikenna Enekweizu, strongly dismissed reports that the party has been struck off the national political register.
Addressing the fallout from a high-stakes ruling by Justice Isah Dashen at the Federal High Court, Enekweizu clarified that the court merely set aside its previous December 15, 2025 judgment to allow for a full fresh hearing—rather than issuing an explicit directive to dissolve the party’s administrative existence.
The legal battle follows a sudden challenge by the Peace Movement Party (PMP) over a disputed logo, creating a critical procedural hurdle just six months before the national elections.
The Genesis of the Dispute: APC vs. PMP Logo Technicalities
Enekweizu walked viewers through the initial 2025 legal proceedings, highlighting what the party views as shifting goalposts by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). According to the National Secretary, the sole reason INEC originally gave for refusing to register the NDC was that its logo too closely resembled that of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Necessary vs. Desirable Parties: The Technical Legal Argument
At the heart of the setback is Justice Dashen's ruling that the Peace Movement Party (PMP) was a "necessary party" that should have been joined to the original suit before a final judgment was entered. Enekweizu challenged this legal standard, drawing a sharp distinction between a party that is merely affected by an outcome and a necessary party required to resolve the immediate dispute.
"The only thing that makes a party a necessary party is that there is an aspect of that matter that cannot be decided in the absence of that person... We went to court because we have fulfilled the conditions of registration. If they [PMP] never reapplied after 2015, on what basis can they now argue that their right to be heard was infringed upon?"
Political Reality: Candidate Uploads and Election Preparedness
Despite the legal friction, the NDC leadership insists that political workflows remain active. While acknowledging that the ruling introduces a psychological setback for candidates and party members, Enekweizu stated that the party’s legal team is finalizing an immediate appeal to stabilize its standing before the upcoming candidate submission deadlines.
"Naturally it is a setback because people will now be wondering what next... But practically, we didn't go for the codes today because we are at liberty to go on Monday. The truth of the matter is that this matter cannot end here and now. By Monday, we'll have filed our appeal and other processes that will go with it."
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