NDC Derecognition: It’s Not Too Late — Atiku’s Aide to Peter Obi, Kwankwaso, Others

An aide to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Paul Ibe, has urged opposition leaders, including Peter Obi, Rabiu Kwankwaso and others, to unite ahead of the 2027 general election following a Federal High Court ruling that nullified the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a political party.

In a post shared on X on Friday, Ibe described the judgment delivered by the Federal High Court in Lokoja as a wake-up call for opposition politicians, warning that Nigeria was drifting toward a de facto one-party state.

According to him, the ruling demonstrated that there was no safe ground for opposition parties, alleging that President Bola Tinubu was determined to weaken alternative political platforms before the next general election.

He claimed the administration intended to suppress opposition voices and undermine Nigeria’s democratic system if political actors failed to close ranks.

“The decision of the Federal High Court Lokoja in setting aside its earlier judgment on the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) should be a wake-up call that there is no hiding place for the opposition,” Ibe wrote.

He further urged opposition figures to harmonise their political strengths ahead of the 2027 elections, insisting it was not too late for them to build a united front capable of challenging the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

“It is not too late for the opposition to harmonize their strengths ahead of 2027,” he added.

The development followed Friday’s judgment by Justice Isah Dashen of the Federal High Court in Lokoja, who set aside the court’s earlier order directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress.

The judge ruled that the earlier judgment affected the rights of the Peace Movement Party (PMP), which claimed ownership of the logo adopted by the NDC but was not joined as a party in the original suit.

Counsel to the Peace Movement Party, C.S. Ekeocha, explained that the ruling restored all parties to the positions they occupied before the December 10, 2025 judgment and ordered that all necessary parties be joined before the substantive matter could be heard afresh.

He also stated that all actions taken by INEC pursuant to the earlier judgment, including the recognition and registration of the NDC, have been reversed pending the final determination of the case.