The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has expressed confidence that its candidates will participate fully in the 2027 general elections despite recent legal setbacks concerning the party’s registration.
The party’s National Secretary, Ikenna Enekweizu, gave the assurance during an appearance on Politics Today, a current affairs programme on Channels Television, on Friday.
His comments came shortly after a Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja, Kogi State, set aside its earlier judgment that had directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress as a political party.
Despite the development, Enekweizu maintained that the ruling would not prevent the party from contesting the forthcoming elections.
”All our candidates will be on the ballot come 2027, and we will win the elections. We still have about six months before next year’s polls,” he said.
According to him, the party had already been scheduled to collect the necessary access codes from INEC to begin uploading the names of its candidates when the court ruling was delivered.
”We were supposed to be at INEC today to pick up the codes for uploading our candidates. Then, in the middle of the day, the judgment came. I believe the timing was intended to stop us from obtaining those codes, but I can assure Nigerians that we will pick them up, upload our candidates, and participate in the elections,” he stated.
Enekweizu urged party members and supporters not to be discouraged by the legal challenges, insisting that the NDC remains committed to pursuing all lawful avenues to secure its participation in the electoral process.
He further argued that many Nigerians are dissatisfied with the current state of the country, citing rising economic hardship, insecurity, and governance challenges as issues driving public demand for political alternatives.
”Our candidates and supporters have nothing to fear. Nigerians are tired of hunger, insecurity, government failures, and policies that have worsened the living conditions of ordinary citizens. We believe the people are ready for change,” he said.
The court’s decision has added another twist to the ongoing legal battle surrounding the NDC’s registration. However, the party insists it remains optimistic that the issues will be resolved before the 2027 general elections.
Political observers say the outcome of the legal process could have significant implications for the participation of emerging political parties in Nigeria’s democratic process as preparations for the 2027 elections gather momentum.