By Jane Salihu
National Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Seriake Dickson, has declared that the party remains firmly in the 2027 general election race despite last Friday’s Federal High Court judgment in Lokoja, insisting that neither the party nor its candidates face any threat of disqualification.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Sunday, the former Bayelsa State governor dismissed widespread interpretations of the Lokoja judgment as a setback for the party, describing the ruling as legally flawed and incapable of stripping the NDC of its registration or participation in the forthcoming elections.
Dickson also appealed to the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, his running mate, Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, and all other candidates to remain resolute and ignore what he described as attempts to create uncertainty within the party.
He maintained that the legal challenge was merely a distraction designed to weaken the confidence of party members ahead of the elections.
“Our candidates are steadfast. They emerged through valid primaries conducted in line with INEC guidelines and monitored by the commission. They know the legal steps we are taking, and in no distant time, all their names will be uploaded on the INEC portal,” Dickson said.
“The NDC is on the ballot. All our candidates will be on the ballot. The NDC has not been deregistered and will not be deregistered. The laws of this country will speak and justice will run its course.”
Justice Isah Dashen of the Federal High Court in Lokoja had on Friday set aside an earlier judgment delivered on December 10, 2025, which directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the NDC as a political party. The court held that the earlier judgment affected the rights of the Peace Movement Party, which claimed ownership of the logo used in securing the registration order but was not joined in the original suit.
However, Dickson argued that the ruling neither contained any order directing INEC to deregister the NDC nor invalidated the party’s participation in the 2027 elections.
“The court itself did not deregister the NDC. There is no positive or mandatory order directing INEC to take such action. Court orders must be interpreted strictly, and this judgment does not amount to deregistration,” he stated.
The former governor further questioned the jurisdiction of the court, arguing that it lacked the legal authority to effectively overturn its earlier judgment.
According to him, the party has already activated all available legal remedies by filing applications for a stay of execution and an injunction to restrain INEC from taking any action based on the ruling, while an appeal is set to be filed immediately.
Dickson also dismissed the legal standing of the applicant that initiated the suit, describing it as an unknown and unregistered association without the capacity to institute such proceedings.
“That applicant is unknown to the laws of this country. It is not a registered political party, it is not sponsoring candidates, and nobody even knows its leadership. It cannot sustain this kind of action,” he argued.
He revealed that rather than weakening the party, the controversy had generated increased public interest in the NDC.
“Since Friday, thousands of Nigerians have been visiting our website to register. The attention has only strengthened our movement because people now understand what we stand for and are identifying with our vision,” Dickson said.
The NDC leader disclosed that the party had successfully concluded its primaries for all elective positions, including governorship, National Assembly, state assembly and presidential elections, with every exercise conducted within INEC’s timetable and monitored by the electoral commission.
“I am also one of the party’s senatorial candidates. All nominations were validly conducted and remain valid,” he added.
Dickson expressed confidence that the Court of Appeal would overturn the Lokoja judgment, insisting that the NDC would remain on the ballot and participate fully in the 2027 general election.
On calls for disciplinary action against the trial judge, Dickson said the party would not petition the National Judicial Council, preferring instead to seek redress through the appellate courts.
“We respect the judiciary. Judges can make mistakes, but the judicial system provides avenues for correcting those mistakes. That is the path we have chosen,” he said.
