A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to approve and upload the modified logo of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) on its official website.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik gave the order in a judgment delivered on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1814/2026 filed by the NDC against INEC.
The court held that INEC’s refusal to allow the NDC to modify its logo was unconstitutional, illegal and an infringement of the party’s rights.
Relying on Sections 221, 222(a)-(f), 7(2)(a) and 40 of the 1999 Constitution, as well as Article 11 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the court found that the NDC had complied with the requirements for modifying its logo.
The court further ruled that the design adopted by the NDC at its first National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on March 25, 2026, should be recognised as the party’s proper official logo.
Court directs INEC to publish NDC logo
Justice Abdulmalik ordered INEC, its servants, agents and officers to “forthwith approve” the NDC’s modified logo, including its symbol and colours.
The judge said the logo should be used by the NDC as its official logo “for all purposes as a political party including for all elections conducted by the Defendant in Nigeria”.
The court also directed INEC to refrain from interfering with the party’s use of the modified logo and to publish it on the commission’s official website.
Background to NDC logo dispute
The NDC had approached the court amid a prolonged dispute over its registration and logo.
Ikenna Enekweizu, the party’s national secretary, said the registration process dated back to 2017.
According to him, INEC initially rejected the application over concerns about similarities between the NDC’s proposed logo and that of another political party.
The NDC subsequently sued INEC, leading to a December 10, 2025, judgment by Justice Isah Dashen of the Federal High Court in Lokoja, Kogi State, ordering the electoral commission to register the NDC as a political party.
On February 5, 2026, INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan announced the registration of two political parties, including the NDC, citing the Lokoja judgment.
The development was later challenged by the Peace Movement Party (PMP), which argued that it had a legal interest in the dispute because it had earlier applied to INEC for registration using the same two-finger victory logo.
The PMP maintained that it submitted the disputed logo before the NDC and that INEC was aware of its prior claim.
INEC acknowledged in its affidavit that both associations had submitted the disputed two-finger logo during their respective registration processes and that the PMP had filed its application before the NDC.
Earlier Lokoja judgment set aside
On June 26, Justice Dashen set aside his December 10, 2025, judgment after finding that the PMP had a direct and legally recognisable interest in the case but was neither joined to the proceedings nor given an opportunity to be heard.
The court held that the earlier proceedings were constitutionally defective and ordered that the status quo be restored to the position before the December judgment.
It also directed that the substantive dispute be heard afresh, with INEC, PMP and NDC joined as parties.
The NDC has maintained that the June judgment did not expressly order its deregistration and said it would challenge the ruling at the Court of Appeal.
The latest Abuja judgment, however, specifically addresses the NDC’s modified logo and directs INEC to approve, publish and allow the party to use it.
NDC says INEC removed modified logo
Reacting to the judgment, Osa Director, national publicity secretary of the NDC, said the party welcomed the court’s decision.
Director said the NDC approached the court after INEC removed the modified logo it had earlier uploaded and reinstated the old association logo.
He said the party’s NEC approved the modified logo on March 25 and forwarded it to INEC, but the commission later removed it without giving a reason.
According to Director, the NDC gave INEC sufficient time to resolve the matter administratively before seeking legal redress.
He said the judgment had now settled the party’s right to use the modified “two-finger” victory sign as its official logo.
Director added that the party had directed all its candidates and members to use the approved logo on campaign materials, including banners, posters and other publicity items.
“We thank the judiciary for its timely intervention and for directing INEC to upload and utilise the NDC’s modified digital logo,” the statement reads.
“All candidates and party members are hereby directed to adopt and use only the approved NDC logo on all campaign materials and paraphernalia, including banners, posters, and other publicity items.
“We recognise that some candidates and members may have already produced materials bearing the old logo. We regret any inconvenience this may have caused.”
