National Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Seriake Dickson, has maintained that the party remains a legally recognised political party despite the recent Federal High Court ruling in Lokoja, Kogi State.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television on Sunday, the former Bayelsa State governor said the court judgment did not amount to the deregistration of the party, stressing that the NDC has already begun legal steps to challenge the ruling.
“The NDC has not been deregistered. The party validly nominated candidates for all elective offices in primaries monitored nationwide by INEC,” Dickson said.
He argued that the party disagrees with the legal basis of the judgment, describing it as a decision delivered by a court that lacked the authority to revisit its earlier ruling.
According to Dickson, the NDC successfully conducted primaries for the State House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate, Governorship and Presidential elections within the timetable approved by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
He added that all the party’s candidates, including himself as a senatorial candidate, were validly nominated and monitored by INEC.
Dickson explained that submitting candidates’ names to INEC is only an administrative process and does not invalidate the nominations already conducted by the party.
He also assured party members and candidates that the NDC remains fully committed to participating in the 2027 general elections.
The former governor disclosed that the party would challenge the Lokoja ruling at the Court of Appeal and, if necessary, pursue the case to the Supreme Court.
He further revealed that the recent court decision had generated increased public interest in the party, claiming that thousands of Nigerians had visited the NDC’s website to register as members since the ruling was delivered.
Source : interview On Channels Television
