Court Ruling Sparks Fresh Storm as Dickson Reveals Alleged Forces Behind NDC Deregistration

Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) leader, Seriake Dickson, has strongly rejected the Federal High Court ruling ordering the deregistration of the party, insisting that the judgment lacks legal merit and will be overturned.
Reacting to the decision delivered by Justice Isah Dashen of the Federal High Court in Lokoja, Dickson described the ruling as illegal and politically motivated, alleging that it was aimed at undermining the credibility and growing influence of the NDC.
According to him, the judgment poses a threat to Nigeria’s multi-party democratic system and represents an attempt to restrict the country’s democratic space.
“The order lacks legal merit and is intended to damage the foundational credibility and efforts of our party. It is illegal and will not stand,” Dickson declared.
He argued that the ruling was anti-democratic and vowed that the party, alongside supporters of democracy, would resist any attempt to suppress political pluralism in the country.
Dickson disclosed that the NDC had already assembled a legal team to challenge the judgment and take immediate steps to have the order set aside. He urged party members, supporters and candidates to remain calm and continue their political activities without fear.
Expressing confidence in the party’s chances, he maintained that the court decision would not derail the NDC’s preparations for future elections.
The former Bayelsa governor also questioned the legal standing of the applicant, identified as the Peace Movement Party (PMP), arguing that it is neither a registered political party nor among the associations that applied for registration with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in 2025.
He insisted that the group had no legitimate interest in the matter and should not have been a party to the suit.
Dickson further alleged that individuals unsettled by the NDC’s rapid rise were behind the court action, claiming that the party’s growth within just five months had triggered concern among its political opponents.
Reaffirming the party’s commitment to democratic ideals, he said the NDC would exhaust all available legal options to reverse what he described as a judicial error and continue its push for a stronger multi-party democracy in Nigeria.