By Nchetachi Chukwuajah
The National Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and senator representing Bayelsa West, Seriake Dickson, says the party has not been deregistered despite the recent ruling of a Federal High Court in Lokoja, Kogi State.
Dickson stated this on Sunday, June 28, during an interview on Channels Television, noting that the party disagreed with the legal basis of the ruling, describing it as a decision delivered by a court that “had become functus officio.”
“It’s a court that ordinarily doesn’t have jurisdiction to sit on appeal over its own earlier judgements,” he said.
According to Dickson, the NDC had begun the legal process to challenge the ruling of a Federal High Court in Lokoja, which set aside an earlier judgement directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the NDC as a political party.
While delivering the judgement on Friday, June 26, Justice Isah Dashen noted that the earlier judgement was constitutionally defective because all necessary parties were not heard before the decision was reached.
In reaction to the judgement on Sunday, Dickson said, “Basically, we disagree as a party about the legal basis and the propriety of the ruling. The party is taking the appropriate and right legal steps to ensure that the right thing is done.”
Responding to questions about the party’s legal status, the former Governor of Bayelsa State said the NDC remains a valid political party.
“The NDC has not been deregistered. The NDC has validly nominated candidates for all elective offices in primaries monitored nationwide by INEC,” he said.
The senator said the party had successfully conducted primaries for state assembly, House of Representatives, Senate, governorship and presidential elections within the timetable issued by INEC.
“I myself am also a senatorial candidate of the party. All nominations have been validly carried out, monitored by INEC, in accordance with the time frame given by INEC,” he said.
Dickson said the submission of candidates’ names to INEC was merely an administrative procedure and did not affect the validity of nominations.
He said, “So, I assure all our candidates and members that those nominations are valid. The submission to INEC is an administrative procedure. So, the NDC is still a party. The court itself did not deregister it. And no step has been taken whatsoever to that effect.”
The senator stressed that the party would challenge the Federal High Court in Lokoja’s ruling at the Court of Appeal and, if necessary, pursue the matter to the highest court.
“As soon as possible, once the appeal is lodged and the necessary papers are filed, it’s a matter that will go to the highest levels to set aside the irregular judgement.
“Once a high court has given a judgement on a matter, the court shouldn’t have any business with anyone who is complaining,” he said.
Dicskon further said the NDC has gained more members since the Lokoja court’s ruling, noting that such influx indicates alliance with the party’s vision.
“From Friday, thousands of Nigerians have been flocking to our website to register. They now know more about our party. They sympathise with our party and our candidates. And they are flocking and buying into the vision of our party and our candidates,” he said.
