A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to approve and upload the modified logo of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) on its official website.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik issued the order in a judgment delivered on Tuesday, September 8, in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1814/2026 filed by the NDC against INEC.
The court ruled that INEC’s refusal to allow the NDC to modify its logo was unconstitutional, unlawful and amounted to an infringement of the party’s rights.
Relying on Sections 221, 222(a)-(f), 7(2)(a) and 40 of the 1999 Constitution, alongside Article 11 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the court held that the NDC had satisfied the necessary requirements for changing its logo.
The judge also recognised the design adopted by the party at its first National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on March 25, 2026, as the NDC’s official logo.
Abdulmalik directed INEC, including its servants, agents and officers, to “forthwith approve” the NDC’s modified logo, including its symbol and colours.
The court further ordered that the logo be used by the NDC as its official symbol “for all purposes as a political party including for all elections conducted by the Defendant in Nigeria”.
The case followed a prolonged disagreement surrounding the NDC’s registration and choice of logo.
According to the party’s National Secretary, Ikenna Enekweizu, the registration process began in 2017, but INEC initially rejected the application because the proposed logo was considered similar to that of another political party.
The NDC subsequently approached the court, and on December 10, 2025, Justice Isah Dashen of the Federal High Court in Lokoja ordered INEC to register the NDC as a political party.
On February 5, 2026, INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan announced the registration of two political parties, including the NDC, based on the Lokoja judgment.
The development was later challenged by the Peace Movement Party (PMP), which argued that it had a legal interest in the matter because it had previously applied for registration using the same two-finger victory symbol.
The PMP claimed it submitted the disputed logo before the NDC and that INEC was aware of its earlier application.
INEC acknowledged in an affidavit that both associations had submitted the two-finger logo during their respective registration processes and confirmed that the PMP’s application came before that of the NDC.
On June 26, Justice Dashen set aside his December 10, 2025 judgment after ruling that the PMP had a direct and legally recognisable interest in the matter but had not been joined to the proceedings or given an opportunity to present its case.
The judge consequently held that the earlier proceedings were constitutionally defective and ordered that the situation be returned to the position that existed before the December judgment.
He also directed that the substantive dispute be heard afresh, with INEC, PMP and NDC joined as parties.
The NDC has maintained that the June ruling did not specifically order its deregistration and said it would appeal the decision.
However, the latest Abuja judgment focuses specifically on the party’s modified logo, directing INEC to approve it, publish it on its official website and refrain from interfering with its use.
Reacting to the ruling, NDC National Publicity Secretary Osa Director said the party welcomed the court’s decision.
Director explained that the NDC went to court after INEC removed the modified logo it had previously uploaded and replaced it with the old association logo without providing an explanation.
He said the NDC’s NEC approved the new logo on March 25 and forwarded it to INEC, but the commission later took it down.
According to him, the party gave INEC adequate time to resolve the matter administratively before resorting to legal action.
Director said the judgment had now affirmed the NDC’s right to use the modified “two-finger” victory symbol as its official logo.
He added that all NDC candidates and members had been instructed to use the approved design on campaign materials, including banners, posters and other publicity materials.
“We thank the judiciary for its timely intervention and for directing INEC to upload and utilise the NDC’s modified digital logo,” the statement reads.
“All candidates and party members are hereby directed to adopt and use only the approved NDC logo on all campaign materials and paraphernalia, including banners, posters, and other publicity items.
“We recognise that some candidates and members may have already produced materials bearing the old logo. We regret any inconvenience this may have caused.”
