The vice-presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Rabiu Kwankwaso, has appealed to members of the Obidient Movement and the Kwankwasiyya group to remain calm following the court ruling that nullified the party’s registration.
Kwankwaso made the appeal while reacting to the judgment that set aside an earlier court order directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the NDC.
Justice Isa H. Dashen of the Lokoja Judicial Division ruled that the earlier judgment should be vacated because it affected the legal rights of the Peace Movement Party, which claimed ownership of the logo used by the NDC but was not joined as a party in the original suit.
In a statement shared on his 𝕏 account, Kwankwaso expressed disappointment over the decision, arguing that the court relied on a suit filed by what he described as a non-existent entity to overturn its previous ruling.
He said, “Anyone who examines the logo submitted to INEC by the NDC, which features a victory sign with fingers, will see that it is entirely distinct from that of the APC. Therefore, as stipulated by law and the Constitution, the members of the NDC approached the High Court in Lokoja last December, and the court’s ruling, as anticipated, was that INEC should register the party since there was no significant similarity that would warrant the rejection of the application.”
Kwankwaso stated that INEC did not challenge the judgment after it was delivered in December. Instead, he said the commission proceeded to register the party and subsequently monitored its congresses, national convention and special convention.
He said, “From the end of December to date is six months. INEC did not appeal the judgment. On the contrary, they decided to register the party. Meaning they did the right thing, and INEC has been attending all the programmes at all levels, ranging from the congresses to the national convention, and even the special convention that we held recently, were all witnessed by INEC.”
According to him, members of the party were shocked to learn that another group whose application for registration had been rejected by INEC later approached the same court seeking the deregistration of the NDC.
He added, **“To our disappointment, we only heard that a group that applied for registration, also with INEC, which was rejected, went to the same court to the same judge and requested that our party be deregistered. It was a very huge shocker to us as members and even other well-meaning political parties, brothers and sisters, within and outside the country.
“It was a very big shock that the same judge in the same court decided to reverse himself because of some people who are not representing any registered party and who are not representing any registered or known organization in this country. Just from the blues, the same judge decided to reverse himself.”**
Kwankwaso said the party would challenge the judgment through the courts and seek an order to halt any action arising from the ruling.
He said, **“As law-abiding people in this country, what we’ve decided, of course, is to go to court as soon as possible. I believe this coming Monday to make sure that the stakeholders are being asked to stay any action, and of course appeal so that the registration will be restored.
“So this is the opportunity to appeal to our supporters across the country and beyond, especially the young men and women who are in the NDC, our supporters in Kwankwasiyya and Obidient across the country, to wait because we believe that good reason will prevail.”**
