NDC Deregistration: Umeh Declares PMP Not A Registered Political Party

Victor Umeh, the lawmaker representing Anambra Central Senatorial District, has alleged that the Peace Movement Party (PMP) is being strategically used to frustrate the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) from participating in the 2027 general elections.

According to Ireporter Online, Umeh made the allegation during an appearance on Arise Television’s Prime Time on Monday, where he insisted that the ongoing dispute surrounding the NDC’s logo was politically motivated. He argued that the widely used victory-sign symbol is a global emblem and cannot be exclusively claimed by the PMP.

The senator further claimed that legal actions against the NDC began immediately after prominent politicians, including former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi and former Kano State governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, joined the party on May 3. He noted that an application seeking to nullify the party’s registration was filed just a day later, on May 4, despite the NDC having been duly registered months earlier.

Umeh maintained that the victory-sign logo cannot belong to the PMP, stressing that the party is not a registered political party under the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). He explained that political symbols only become exclusive once officially registered and recognized by INEC, after which no other party is permitted to use them.

His remarks followed a recent Federal High Court ruling in Lokoja, Kogi State, which set aside its earlier judgment compelling INEC to register the NDC as a political party. The decision has continued to generate mixed reactions among political stakeholders and supporters ahead of the 2027 elections, while the NDC has vowed to explore all legal avenues to defend its registration and secure participation in the electoral process.