The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise, upload and use the modified digital logo of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as the party’s official emblem.
The judgment was delivered by Justice J.O. Abdulmalik following a suit filed by the NDC challenging INEC’s decision to revert to the association logo under which the political group was initially registered.
Former Bayelsa State Governor and NDC leader, Seriake Dickson, who disclosed the judgment in a statement on Wednesday, said the court upheld the party’s position that the modified logo contained in its constitution was the authentic emblem to be recognised by the electoral commission.
According to Dickson, the NDC’s first National Executive Council meeting had approved the modified digital logo and forwarded it to INEC for official use.
He said the commission initially uploaded the modified logo on its platform but later removed it without communicating any reason to the party and restored the earlier association logo.
The NDC subsequently approached the Federal High Court after efforts to resolve the matter administratively with INEC allegedly failed.
By the judgment, the court directed INEC to recognise and use the modified logo approved by the party and contained in its constitution, thereby resolving the dispute over which of the two emblems should officially represent the NDC.
Following the ruling, Dickson directed all NDC candidates and members to immediately transition to the modified logo on campaign materials, including posters, banners and other publicity materials.
“We understand that some candidates and party members may have already made arrangements using the other logo, and we regret the inconvenience this may have caused,” he said.
“However, both logos retain the two-finger victory sign. Candidates should now transition to the logo approved in our party’s constitution, which is the authentic party logo and, indeed, the one that is more widely recognised.”
Dickson described the judgment as a vindication of the party’s position and a reaffirmation of due process, maintaining that the court’s decision had now provided clarity over the logo INEC should recognise and deploy for the NDC.
