The Appeal Court in Abuja has saved Peter Obi’s party, NDC, making it clear that the party can run in the 2027 general elections.
The Court of Appeal has given a very big judgment that brings joy to Peter Obi and his supporters. On Friday, September 18, 2026, the senior judges in Abuja said that Peter Obi’s political party, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), is still a full political party that can join any election in Nigeria.
This big legal fight started because a lower court, the Federal High Court in Lokoja, had earlier ruled on June 26, 2026, to stop the registration of the NDC party.
The lower court judge, Justice Isah Dashen, said that another group called the Peace Movement Party (PMP) complained about the logo that the NDC was using. Because of this logo dispute, the lower court took away the registration of the NDC.
However, two senior judges at the Court of Appeal, Justice Mohammed Danjuma and Justice M.L. Hassan, looked at the case again and said the lower court did a wrong thing.
They explained that the lower court had already ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the NDC back on December 10, 2025.
The senior judges said a lower court judge has no right or power to sit down and change his own final mind or cancel his own previous order.
The senior judges also pointed out that the group complaining about the logo, the Peace Movement Party (PMP), is not even a recognized political party under Nigerian law.
In their simple decision, the majority judges said that PMP was “not a registered political party recognized by law”. They went further to call the PMP an “errand spoiler” and a “meddlesome interloper” that came only to disrupt good things.
They also clearly added that the trial court in Lokoja “wrongly and perversely declared” declared that the PMP had a right in the case. Although one judge, Justice Okon Abang, disagreed with the other two, the majority decision stands by law.
Because of this decision, the founder of the party, Senator Seriake Dickson, spoke out happily to explain what this means for Nigerians.
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He thanked the senior judges for standing for truth and justice. Seriake Dickson said, “We want to use this opportunity once again to commend the Nigerian judiciary, and in particular, Hon. Justice Danjuma and Hon. Justice Hassan, for upholding the integrity of the Nigerian judiciary and, by their decisions, expanding the sphere of multiparty democratic participation in Nigeria”.
He promised all supporters that the party is alive and ready for elections. Dickson said, “The NDC continues to exist. Our registration remains valid and subsisting, and we and all our candidates will participate in all elections in 2027 and beyond, by the grace of God”.
He also sent a strong message to political enemies who try to use bad court cases to fight them. He warned that “a resort to arm twisting, inducing or intimidating the judiciary will not work. We remain confident in the strength of our message, the commitment of our members, the viability of our candidates, and the support of Nigerians”.
Peter Obi’s followers are celebrating this court news. With this clear ruling, Peter Obi and all other candidates under the NDC banner can focus completely on their campaign work for the upcoming 2027 general elections without any fear of their party being cancelled.
Jennifer Baba is a journalist, international news correspondent, and writer at Moderncrux, where she covers artificial intelligence, fintech, emerging technologies, global politics, and international affairs. Based in Nigeria, she is passionate about transforming complex global developments into clear, engaging stories that inform and inspire readers.
