NDC appeals deregistration ruling, files stay of execution to save candidates

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has officially filed an appeal and a stay of execution against a recent court ruling threatening its existence, insisting that it remains a duly registered political party in Nigeria.

The party has also served the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with the court processes, alongside a covering letter urging the electoral umpire to act in accordance with the law.

Henry Seriake Dickson, the National Leader of the NDC and a former governor, disclosed this on Tuesday in a statement addressing the legal battle surrounding the party’s status.

Dickson stated that the NDC has come to stay and has fully participated in all political processes, adding that all nomination primaries monitored by INEC have already been concluded across the country.

According to the National Leader, the party has already been granted access to the INEC portal to upload the names of its qualified candidates for the upcoming general elections.

He revealed that his own name and that of the party’s Presidential Candidate have already been successfully uploaded to the portal, while the Vice Presidential Candidate’s details will be uploaded on Wednesday once court depositions are finished.

Dickson urged members and aspirants across the federation not to panic, explaining that the party still has up until July 11 to upload National Assembly candidates and July 17 for governorship and State House of Assembly candidates.

“Today, the NDC has filed an appeal against the ruling as well as a stay of execution/injunction, which has been served with a covering letter to the INEC chairman and his team to do what is right according to law and what is legally sensible,” he stated.

“The Nigeria Democratic Congress has come to stay and remains a duly registered party in Nigeria. Nomination processes have already been concluded and, in the eyes of the law, candidates have already emerged from the party for all offices.”

The NDC leader commended Joash Amupitan, a Professor and the Chairman of INEC, for the commission’s professionalism so far, particularly for obeying previous court orders to register new parties and recognizing valid leadership structures.

He further declared that the ball is now in the court of the judiciary to protect the nation’s multi-party democracy from being destroyed by mercenaries parading themselves as political leaders.

On the fallout of the party’s direct primaries, Dickson admitted that the processes were not perfect but announced that a internal reconciliation process has started to carry all aggrieved aspirants along in the party’s campaign structures