Nigeria Democratic Congress Receives INEC Registration Certificate

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has presented the certificate of registration to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).  The NDC is one of the two political parties that the Commission recently registered.

Barrister Reuben Egwuaba, the NDC’s Protem National Legal Adviser, received the certificate on Monday on behalf of the party. He stated that with this presentation, the NDC joins the ranks of registered political parties “in the competition to provide democratic leadership and contest for power in a way that will make Nigerians at home and abroad proud”.

Mr. Egwuaba said, “Today’s event marks the culmination of the NDC’s long and arduous fight for registration, a journey which began as far back as 2017 when the association first applied to INEC to be registered as a political party,” immediately after receiving the certificate from Barrister Joan Arabs, INEC’s Director of Elections and Party Monitoring.

“The NDC was among the original 171 political organisations that applied for registration. After meeting all of INEC’s requirements, the NDC was denied registration at the last minute.

“The then INEC leadership refused to register the NDC, claiming its logo and insignia bore a close resemblance to those of the All Progressives Congress (APC). This claim was demonstrably untrue.

The Commission maintained this position, and when the list of the final 14 associations to be considered for screening was published by INEC, the NDC was conspicuously excluded.

“The NDC subsequently challenged INEC’s decision in court, arguing that it was based on flawed assumptions and constituted an improper exercise of executive discretion.”

According to Barrister Egwuaba, “The court not only found that the NDC logo was distinct from that of the APC, but also that the second association which INEC had initially cited as having a similar logo was not even a registered entity, let alone a political party.

“Following these conclusions, and in the absence of any other valid grounds for its stance, the court directed INEC to register the NDC and officially proclaimed it registered.”

Barrister Egwuaba, who also led the NDC’s legal team in the case, thanked the court and the judiciary for upholding truth, justice, and fairness.

“We are, once again, reassured that the judiciary remains the last hope of the common man,” he said. “It performed its duty as it should in a democracy.”

He also thanked INEC, “particularly its Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, who, as a Professor of law and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), did the right thing by complying with the court order to register the NDC.

“The speed with which the Commission acted on the NDC’s court ruling demonstrates the current leadership’s commitment to transparency and fairness. This further reassures us that we can look forward to freer, fairer, and more transparent general elections,” Egwuaba said, adding: “This is a victory not only for the NDC, but for democracy and for all Nigerians. We invite Nigerians to join the NDC.

“It is a new dawn. The NDC is here, and we offer ourselves as an alternative platform for all Nigerians who are currently feeling stifled by the excesses of the ruling APC and the shortcomings of other opposition parties. The NDC is a party for the people, with a philosophy of service to the people of Nigeria and all who live within its borders.

“The NDC is officially expected to be listed for the next round of elections, particularly the 2027 general elections. A formal unveiling of the NDC will follow shortly,” Barrister Egwuaba concluded.