Ex- Presidential Candidate Faults Court Ruling On NDC, Warns Against Judicial Manipulation

Former presidential candidate and acting national chairman of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), Peter Ameh, has criticised the Federal High Court ruling in Lokoja concerning the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), warning against what he described as judicial manipulation.

In a statement on Saturday, Ameh argued that the court overstepped its powers by reviewing its earlier judgment that compelled the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the NDC as a political party.

He contended that the application was filed by the Peace Movement Party, which he claimed is not a registered political party and therefore lacked the legal standing to seek the relief granted by the court.

His words: “It is laughable that a court would agree to deregister a duly registered political party simply because an unregistered, legally nonexistent party asked it to do so. Something is seriously and fundamentally wrong with integrity of the court decision in that judgment.”

Ameh argued that the court had become functus officio after delivering its earlier judgment and could only revisit the decision under exceptional circumstances.

He stated: “Ordinarily, once a court delivers its judgment, it is said to have become functus officio, meaning that the court has performed its duty and exhausted its powers over that matter.

“A court is not supposed to review its own judgment except in extreme circumstances, such as where it acted without jurisdiction, where a party to the suit was not properly served, or where the judgment was obtained by fraud. Sadly, none of these circumstances existed to justify Justice Isa Dashen reviewing his own judgment.”

Ameh said INEC did not appeal the December 2025 judgment within the statutory period and questioned why the court entertained an application more than six months after the ruling.

He added that the NDC had already conducted congresses, held primaries and produced candidates across the country before the latest decision.

“The Peace Movement Party is not even a registered political party known to law and cannot apply in this manner even if the case was appealed by INEC,” he said.

Ameh said the ruling raised concerns about the limits of judicial powers and the finality of court judgments.

He further stated: “This is exactly why many legal minds should be worried. What just happened raises serious questions about the limits of judicial powers and the sanctity of final judgments.

“It represents a failed APC government that is petrified of a free and fair election and that is desperate to recoronate a failed leadership for a second term without a transparent electoral contest.”

Ameh warned against what he described as judicial manipulation and said supporters would mobilise peaceful rallies while drawing international attention to the development.

“For many Nigerians, this is not an error of law. It is an assault on democracy,” he concluded.