The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, has described the recent court ruling in Lokoja as an unnecessary setback for Nigeria’s democracy, warning that it further weakens the country’s democratic institutions.
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Obi stated this in a message shared on his social media platforms on Friday after receiving news of the judgment while attending engagements in Imo State.
Obi stated this in a message shared on his social media platforms on Friday after receiving news of the judgment while attending engagements in Imo State.
According to him, he learnt of the court’s decision while at Madonna University after visiting the School of Nursing Sciences in Emekuku and attending the 80th birthday celebration of the Emeritus Archbishop of Owerri, Most Rev. Dr. Anthony Obinna.
“It was at Madonna University that I received the court news of the Lokoja court rulings through my brother, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso,” he said.
Reacting to the judgment, Obi said every Nigerian committed to the country’s progress should be concerned about its implications for democracy.
“Every Nigerian committed to the country’s progress should be deeply concerned. This judgment represents another setback for our democracy and the institutions upon which our future depends,” he stated.
He accused some political actors of undermining democratic institutions despite claiming to support democracy.
“It is regrettable that some who claim to champion democracy now appear determined to weaken the very institutions that sustain it. In doing so, they are undermining public confidence and endangering the future of millions of Nigerians,” Obi said.
The former Anambra State governor expressed concern that both the legislature and the judiciary were increasingly being drawn into what he described as institutional decline.
“The legislature and the judiciary are increasingly being drawn into this pattern of institutional decline. Democracy cannot thrive where institutions lose their independence and credibility,” he added.
Obi maintained that his position was based on principle rather than political interest, recalling that he also criticised a similar development involving the African Democratic Congress.
“Those who seek to weaken Nigeria’s democratic foundations will not ultimately prevail. When a similar situation recently affected the ADC, I condemned it without hesitation. I do so again today because my position has always been guided by principle,” he said.
According to him, his concern is not about who becomes Nigeria’s next president but about ensuring that the country’s institutions function effectively.
“My concern is not about who becomes President. My concern is that Nigeria works. Our politics must move beyond the quest for power and focus instead on building a united nation founded on justice, strong institutions, the rule of law, and equal opportunity,” Obi stated.
He urged Nigerians to rise above partisan interests and defend the country’s democratic institutions.
“I therefore urge all well-meaning Nigerians to rise above partisan interests and defend our democracy. The survival of our institutions is inseparable from the survival of our nation,” he said.
The statement followed Friday’s ruling by Justice Isah Dashen of the Federal High Court, Lokoja, setting aside the court’s December 10, 2025 judgment directing INEC to register the NDC.
The judge held that the earlier judgment affected the rights of the Peace Movement Party, which claimed ownership of the logo relied upon in obtaining the registration order but was not joined as a party in the suit.
Counsel for the applicant, C.S. Ekeocha, said the court ordered all parties to return to the position they occupied before the December 10, 2025 judgment and directed that all necessary parties be joined before the substantive suit is heard afresh.
He added that the ruling effectively nullified actions taken by INEC pursuant to the earlier judgment, including the recognition of the NDC, issuance of its certificate of registration, its inclusion in the commission’s records and any appearance on ballot papers, pending the determination of the substantive suit.
