The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to approve and immediately upload the modified logo of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) for use in all elections. Judge Joyce Abdulmalik made the order in a judgment delivered on Tuesday in a suit filed by the NDC against INEC by way of an originating summons on 11 August.
The enrolled order issued by the court summarising the key pronouncements in the judgement was shared on X late Wednesday by Seriake Dickson, the national leader of the party.
The court ordered INEC “to forthwith approve the modified logo design of the Plaintiff, including its symbol and colours … for use by the plaintiff as its official logo for all purposes as a political party including for all elections conducted by the Defendant in Nigeria.” The court described the modified logo as a digitally designed “Two fingers victory sign” with a blue background and the word “NDC” written in red.
In addition to ordering INEC to approve the logo, Mrs Abdulmalik granted a perpetual injunction restraining INEC, its servants, agents, officers or representatives from interfering with the NDC’s use of the modified logo. The court further ordered INEC to immediately upload the modified logo to its official website for use by the NDC in all elections conducted by the commission.
The court also declared INEC’s refusal to permit the NDC to modify its colour and logo design unconstitutional, illegal and an infraction of the party’s constitutional and statutory rights. Judge Abdulmalik reached the decision after considering provisions of the Nigerian constitution, including Sections 221, 222(A) to (F), 14(1)(C), 7(2)(a) and 40, as well as Article 11 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.