Clarification On NDC Leadership Recognised by Court Order

The leadership of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) currently displayed on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) website is based on a binding court order.

The party, founded in 2017 under the guidance of former INEC Chairman Prof. M. Yakubu, initially faced challenges over its logo — two fingers raised in the air symbolising peace. INEC argued that the symbol bore resemblance to the All Progressives Congress’ broom logo, despite APC itself never raising any objection.

INEC subsequently refused to recognise the NDC as a political party unless the logo was changed. Viewing this as undue interference, the NDC approached the Federal High Court to contest INEC’s decision.

In 2025, the court ruled decisively in favour of the NDC, affirming that its logo bore no resemblance to that of the APC. The judgment ordered INEC to recognise the NDC as a political party, accept its logo, and acknowledge its leadership. INEC, under new leadership, complied with the ruling and updated its records accordingly.

Importantly, the court clarified that only INEC had standing to challenge the judgment. Neither APC nor the Attorney General of the Federation could contest the ruling. The appeal window for INEC has since expired, making the judgment final and binding.

As a result, the NDC’s leadership structure remains valid and recognised “by court order,” with no further legal obstacles to its legitimacy.