Kwankwaso, Dickson rally NDC after court setback, reaffirm commitment to 2027 race

Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Vice-Presidential Candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has intensified efforts to rally party leaders following the Federal High Court judgement that nullified the party’s registration, declaring that the movement remains united, resilient and focused on the 2027 general elections.

Kwankwaso disclosed on Sunday that he held a strategic meeting with the National Leader of the NDC, Seriake Dickson, at the former Bayelsa State governor’s residence in Abuja as part of consultations aimed at strengthening the party despite the legal setback.

In a post on his verified X account, Kwankwaso said the meeting centred on consolidating the party’s structures and reinforcing its preparedness for the 2027 elections.

“Today, I paid a courtesy visit to the National Leader of our party, the NDC, His Excellency Seriake Dickson, at his residence in Abuja.

“The engagement forms part of our ongoing efforts to strengthen the party’s unity, resilience and strategic readiness as we prepare for the 2027 general elections,” he wrote.

Expressing confidence in the judiciary, Kwankwaso insisted that the court ruling would not derail the aspirations of the party or its supporters.

“As true democrats, we remain committed to the rule of law and have absolute confidence in the judicial process. No temporary setback can weaken the spirit of a movement built on hope, justice, equity and the collective aspirations of the Nigerian people.

“I urge all party members, supporters and well-meaning Nigerians to stay calm, resolute and focused on our shared mission. Together, we will rise above every challenge. Nigeria will be okay,” he added.

Also confirming the meeting, Seriake Dickson, in a statement posted on his official Facebook page, said both leaders reviewed developments within the party and reaffirmed their commitment to preserving Nigeria’s multi-party democracy.

“We discussed issues of mutual interest concerning our party. We reaffirmed our resolve to stand together in the fight for multi-party democracy, and I briefed him on the measures the party is taking to correct and redress the distractions occasioned by the anomalous ruling of the Federal High Court. We are on course,” Dickson said.

The meeting came barely two days after the Federal High Court in Lokoja, Kogi State, vacated its December 10, 2025 judgement directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the NDC as a political party.

In the ruling delivered in Suit No. FHC/LKJ/CS/49/2025, Justice Isah Dashen held that the earlier judgement was fundamentally defective because all necessary parties were not heard before the decision was reached.

The court acted on an application filed by the Peace Movement Party, which argued that it had a legal interest in the case and ought to have been joined before the judgement recognising the NDC was delivered.

Despite the setback, the NDC leadership has maintained that it will challenge the ruling through the judicial process while pressing ahead with efforts to strengthen its structures and position itself as a formidable opposition force ahead of the 2027 general elections.