By Amah
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The political future of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) took a dramatic turn on Monday as the party announced that it had uploaded the name of its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) portal despite a recent court judgment ordering its deregistration.
The development comes amid an intensifying legal battle over the status of the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
National Leader of the NDC, Senator Seriake Dickson, disclosed in a statement that the party had filed an appeal against the deregistration judgment and also lodged an application for a stay of execution, which has been formally served on the INEC Chairman and the electoral commission.
According to Dickson, the legal steps taken by the party effectively place the matter before the courts and preserve its right to continue participating in the electoral process pending the determination of the appeal.
The former Bayelsa State governor insisted that the NDC remains a legally recognized political party and has complied with all electoral requirements so far, including the conduct of primary elections monitored and documented by INEC.
He revealed that the party had been granted access to the INEC portal for candidate submissions and had successfully uploaded the names of its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and himself. He added that the name of the party’s vice-presidential candidate would be uploaded upon the completion of the necessary documentation.
The NDC’s move is significant because candidate nominations and submissions are governed by strict timelines set by INEC.
According to the commission’s electoral timetable, submissions for National Assembly candidates close on July 11, while those for governorship and state assembly candidates end on July 17.
The controversy stems from a recent court ruling directing the deregistration of the NDC, a decision that immediately sparked legal and political reactions within the party. However, under Nigerian law, the filing of an appeal and an application for a stay of execution often becomes a critical factor in determining whether the judgment can be enforced pending the final resolution of the case.
Dickson urged party members and supporters nationwide to remain calm, stressing that there was no cause for alarm. He noted that the party had already commenced internal reconciliation efforts following the conclusion of its primaries and assured unsuccessful aspirants that they would be integrated into various campaign structures and committees.
Reaffirming confidence in the party’s future, Dickson maintained that the NDC remains firmly in the race for the 2027 elections and would continue to pursue all available legal remedies.
“Today, the NDC has filed an appeal against the ruling as well as a stay of execution, which has been served on INEC to do what is right according to law,” he said.
“The Nigeria Democratic Congress has come to stay and remains a duly registered political party. Our candidates have already emerged from primaries observed and monitored by INEC. What remains is the administrative process of submitting their names, and we have been granted access to the portal to do so.”
With Peter Obi’s name now uploaded to the INEC portal and the party’s appeal pending before the courts, attention is expected to shift to both the judiciary and the electoral commission as stakeholders await the next chapter in what could become one of the most consequential legal and political battles ahead of the 2027 general elections.
