A federal high court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to register the National Democratic Party (NDP) as a political party.
The suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2796/2025 was filed by Ada Okwori, the national chairman of the NDP, and three others.
Delivering judgement on February 16, Mohammed Umar, the presiding judge, held that the plaintiffs had met all constitutional and statutory requirements for registration under Sections 222–224 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), sections 75 and 79 of the Electoral Act 2022, and INEC’s 2022 regulations and guidelines for political parties.
The judge further held that, having satisfied the legal requirements, the electoral body is duty-bound to register the NDP as a political party.
“A declaration is hereby made that the plaintiffs have met all the requirements of Sections 222 – 224 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), sections 75 and 79 of the Electoral Act 2022, and the defendant’s regulations and guidelines for Political Parties 2022,” the judge ruled.
“A declaration is hereby made that the plaintiffs’ political association, the National Democratic Party (NDP), having fulfilled all legal requirements, is qualified to be registered as a political party.”
Umar also set aside INEC’s letter dated December 18, 2025 (Ref. No. INEC/DEPM/AFR/979/1/144), which had declined to grant the registration request, declaring it null, void and of no legal effect.
In a consequential order, the judge compelled INEC to register the NDP forthwith.
“An order is hereby made compelling the defendant to register the plaintiffs’ political association, the National Democratic Party (NDP), as a political party forthwith,” Umar ordered.
The judge also ordered INEC to accord the association “full political rights and privileges of a registered political party” and to issue it “a certificate of registration and any other documents issued to registered political parties.”
Alternatively, the court ruled that if registration is not affected, the NDP would be deemed duly registered by operation of section 75(4) of the Electoral Act 2022.
