Following the recent judgment nullifying the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress,NDC, as a political party, the Kwankwasiyya Movement, has said that no judicial setback, political intimidation, or administrative obstacle will diminish its commitment to its ideals or weaken its resolve to offer Nigerians a credible democratic alternative.

Speaking in a statement signed by its spokesman, Dr. Muhammad Sale Habibu, the movement said it received with concern the recent judgment setting aside the earlier decision directing the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).

“We reaffirm the position consistently articulated by our leader and principal, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, that Nigeria deserves a government founded on justice, competence, equity, accountability, and the genuine welfare of its people.

“While we acknowledge and respect the constitutional role of the judiciary as the final arbiter of disputes, we cannot ignore the troubling questions that this judgment has raised regarding the integrity of our democratic process and the future of political pluralism in Nigeria.”

The statement explained that, at a time when millions of Nigerians are yearning for credible alternatives to the current administration, this development inevitably reinforces the growing public perception that powerful forces are determined to shrink the democratic space and ensure that only politically convenient parties are allowed to flourish ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“The litigation has suddenly assumed renewed urgency precisely when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced activities under the timetable for the 2027 general elections, including processes leading to party nominations and candidate submissions.

“Nigerians are therefore entitled to ask whether this sequence of events is merely coincidental or part of a broader pattern aimed at frustrating the emergence of a formidable opposition platform before the electoral process gathers full momentum.”

The Kwankwasiyya Movement noted that even more disturbing is the legal controversy surrounding the decision itself.

Distinguished legal practitioners have already expressed divergent opinions on whether a court that has delivered a final judgment possesses the jurisdiction to set aside its own decision under the circumstances presented, or whether such authority properly belongs to the appellate courts, except in narrowly defined situations recognised by law.

“These legal questions deserve to be answered transparently by the appellate courts, not only in the interest of the NDC but also in order to safeguard public confidence in Nigeria’s judicial system.

“Yesterday was ADC. Today, NDC. Tomorrow, it could be any other opposition platform. Once judicial processes begin to create uncertainty around political participation at critical stages of the electoral calendar, the greatest casualty is democracy itself.

“Democracy cannot flourish where viable opposition parties are weakened through prolonged legal uncertainty. Competitive elections require a level playing field, equal access to justice, respect for due process, and institutions that inspire confidence among all political actors.

“The Kwankwasiyya Movement therefore calls upon the judiciary to remain steadfast as the last hope of the common man by ensuring that justice is not only done but is manifestly seen to be done. We equally urge INEC to act strictly within the confines of the law and to avoid any action that may prejudice ongoing legal processes or undermine public confidence in the electoral process.

“We also call on Nigerians, civil society organisations, professional bodies, and the international democratic community to closely observe developments surrounding this matter. The health of our democracy depends on strong institutions, an independent judiciary, and genuine political competition—not on the systematic narrowing of democratic choices available to the electorate.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the Kwankwasiyya Movement remains resolute and unwavering in its commitment to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a platform for democratic renewal and national transformation.

“History teaches us that democracy is not sustained by the comfort of those in power but by the courage of those who defend the people’s right to freely choose their leaders. We remain confident that truth, justice, and the rule of law will ultimately prevail.”

The lawmaker representing Anambra Central Senatorial District, Victor Umeh, says the Peace Movement Party, PMP, is being used to block the participation of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, in the 2027 general elections.

Umeh made this allegation on Monday when he appeared as a guest in an interview on Arise Television’s ‘Prime Time’.

He maintained that the victory-sign logo is a global symbol, stating that it does not belong to the PMP.

“PMP is being used to block the NDC’s participation in the 2027 Elelection.

“When Peter Obi, Rabiu Kwankwaso, and some of us joined the NDC on May 3, the very next day, May 4, an application was filed seeking to set aside the party’s registration, even though the NDC had already been registered for about five months.

“The logo does not belong to the PMP because it is not a registered political party. A symbol only becomes exclusive to a party once it is registered with INEC as part of that party’s official registration.

“After that, no other political party can use it because it legally belongs to the registered party,” he said.

Recall that a Federal High Court in Lokoja, Kogi State, set aside its earlier judgment directing the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to register the NDC as a political party.

The Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, said it has uploaded the name of its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, portal after filing an appeal and an application for a stay of execution against a court judgment ordering the party’s deregistration.

National Leader of the NDC, Senator Seriake Dickson, disclosed this in a statement on Monday, saying the party had served the appeal and accompanying application on the INEC Chairman and urged the electoral body to act in accordance with the law.

Dickson maintained that the NDC remained a duly registered political party, noting that it had participated in all electoral processes and concluded its primary elections under INEC’s supervision.

According to him, the party had been granted access to the INEC portal to upload the names of its candidates for the 2027 general elections.

He said the names of both himself and the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, had been uploaded to the portal, while that of the vice-presidential candidate would be submitted upon completion of the necessary documentation.

The former Bayelsa State governor added that the party remains within the timetable released by INEC, stating that submissions for National Assembly candidates will close on July 11, while those for governorship and state assembly candidates will end on July 17.

Dickson also appealed to party members to remain calm, saying there was no cause for panic as the reconciliation process had begun following the conclusion of the party’s primaries. He assured unsuccessful aspirants that they would be accommodated in the party’s campaign structures and committees.

According to him, with the appeal and stay of execution application now before the courts, the judiciary will determine the next course of action in accordance with the law.

“Today, the NDC has filed an appeal against the ruling as well as a stay of execution/injunction, which has been served with a covering letter to the INEC chairman and his team to do what is right according to law and what is legally sensible.

“The Nigeria Democratic Congress has come to stay and remains a duly registered party in Nigeria which has participated in all the political processes so far, and, as I said yesterday, nomination processes have already been concluded and, in the eyes of the law, candidates have already emerged from the party for all offices across the country in primaries observed, monitored and recorded by INEC.

“What is left is the administrative process of submitting the names to INEC, and we have been granted access to the portal to upload our qualified candidates,” part of the statement read.