NDC Not Deregistered, Our Candidates Will Contest 2027 Polls – Dickson

National leader of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Seriake Dickson, has insisted that the party remains legally recognised and that all its candidates will be on the ballot for the 2027 general election despite a recent Federal High Court judgment that nullified an earlier order compelling the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the party.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Dickson described the Lokoja Federal High Court judgment as “irregular” and said the party had already commenced the appeal process.

His comments followed Friday’s judgment by Justice Isah Dashen of the Federal High Court in Lokoja, which set aside the court’s December 10, 2025 ruling directing INEC to register the NDC.

The court acted on an application filed by the Peace Movement Party (PMP), which argued that it was not joined in the original proceedings despite having a legal interest in the matter. Justice Dashen held that parties with vested interests should have been joined and ordered that the case be heard afresh.

Dickson, however, maintained that the judgment neither deregistered the NDC nor invalidated the candidacies of those who emerged from the party’s primaries.

“I assure all our candidates and members, nominations are done at the primaries that took place at the various levels. The submission to INEC is an administrative procedure. So, the NDC is a party. The court itself did not direct its deregistration and no step has been taken whatsoever to that effect,” he said.

The former Bayelsa State governor urged party members, candidates and stakeholders to remain calm, saying the appellate courts would overturn what he described as an anomaly.

“As soon as possible, as the party has said, once the appeal is lodged and the necessary papers are filed, it is a matter that will go to the highest levels to set aside the irregular judgement,” he said.

Dickson argued that the party had validly conducted primaries for State Houses of Assembly, National Assembly, governorship and presidential elections under the supervision of INEC, with all nominees acquiring vested legal rights.

“We expect that the appeal process and the applications that will follow… will correct this matter. So, we are on course,” he said.

He further stated that all nominations already concluded and monitored by INEC remained valid.

According to Dickson, the Lokoja judgment merely nullified the earlier order directing INEC to register the NDC and did not contain any mandatory order requiring the electoral commission to deregister the party.

“This ruling did not do that. But there’s a judgement that INEC had that compelled INEC to register. That judgement in the hands of INEC is now a nullity. That judgement means nothing.

“Courts don’t function that way. Orders of courts are to be construed strictly. It was possible for the court to have made that order on deregistration if that was what it wanted. But the court did not say so,” he said.

He also argued that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the application and expressed confidence that the Court of Appeal would resolve the matter in the party’s favour.

Dickson questioned the legal standing of the Peace Movement Party, contending that it is not a registered political party under Nigerian law and therefore lacked the legal capacity to institute the action.

“I would like you and all Nigerians to know this. The party that went to file an application… is not a registered political party at all.

“It is actually a non-entity. It is unknown to the laws of Nigeria,” he said.

He further alleged that the organisation had unsuccessfully sought registration in 2015 and had remained inactive ever since, describing the proceedings initiated by the group as “frivolous” and “embarrassing.”

Looking ahead to the 2027 general election, Dickson expressed confidence that the NDC would perform strongly at the polls and said the party remained open to alliances that could enhance its electoral prospects.

He also maintained that President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) could be defeated in the next election if Nigerians united behind a common objective.

On security, Dickson welcomed moves by both the executive and the National Assembly to establish state police but advocated a broader decentralisation of policing through zonal, state and local government structures to improve internal security.