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The presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has described the Lokoja court ruling on the party’s registration as a serious setback for Nigeria’s democracy, warning that it further weakens the country’s democratic institutions.
A High Court sitting in Lokoja, Kogi State, on Friday set aside its earlier judgment that directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a political party, ordering a fresh hearing of the case.
In a statement released on Friday, Obi said he received news of the judgment while attending an event at Madonna University, after earlier visiting the School of Nursing Sciences in Emekuku and attending the 80th birthday celebration of Anthony Obinna.
Lokoja Judgment: An Unnecessary Serious Setback for Nigerian Democracy
Today was an exceptionally busy day. I left Lagos in the early hours for Emekuku, where I visited the School of Nursing Sciences, an institution I have consistently supported over the years. It was…
— Peter Obi (@PeterObi) June 26, 2026
According to him, the development should concern every Nigerian committed to the country’s progress because it undermines democracy and the institutions needed to sustain it.
Obi argued that some individuals who claim to support democracy now appear to be weakening the very institutions that uphold it, warning that such actions erode public confidence and threaten the nation’s future.
He also expressed concern over what he described as the growing decline of the legislature and judiciary, stressing that democracy cannot survive if key institutions lose their independence and credibility.
“Every Nigerian committed to the country’s progress should be deeply concerned. This judgment represents another setback for our democracy and the institutions upon which our future depends.
“It is regrettable that some who claim to champion democracy now appear determined to weaken the very institutions that sustain it. In doing so, they are undermining public confidence and endangering the future of millions of Nigerians.
“The legislature and the judiciary are increasingly being drawn into this pattern of institutional decline. Democracy cannot thrive where institutions lose their independence and credibility, ”Obi said.
The former Anambra State governor maintained that attempts to undermine Nigeria’s democratic foundations would ultimately fail, noting that he had similarly condemned what he described as interference in the affairs of the African Democratic Congress(ADC) when a comparable situation arose.
Obi said his position was based on principle rather than political interest, insisting that his concern was not about who becomes president but about ensuring that Nigeria functions effectively.
“Those who seek to weaken Nigeria’s democratic foundations will not ultimately prevail. When a similar situation recently affected the ADC, I condemned it without hesitation. I do so again today because my position has always been guided by principle.
“My concern is not about who becomes President. My concern is that Nigeria works. Our politics must move beyond the quest for power and focus instead on building a united nation founded on justice, strong institutions, the rule of law, and equal opportunity. That is the Nigeria we owe ourselves and the one we must leave for future generations, ” he said.
He urged political leaders to move beyond the pursuit of power and focus instead on building a nation anchored on justice, strong institutions, the rule of law and equal opportunities.
Obi also called on Nigerians to set aside partisan interests and defend the country’s democracy, arguing that the survival of its institutions is essential to the nation’s future.
“I therefore urge all well-meaning Nigerians to rise above partisan interests and defend our democracy. The survival of our institutions is inseparable from the survival of our nation. It’s when we work together that a new Nigeria of our dream is made POssible,” he added.
