The High Court of Justice in Kogi State has made new clarifications and denied reports claiming that it ordered the deregistration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC.
A statement by the Court’s Chief Information Officer, Saqeeb Saeed, on Thursday, described the allegation as false and misleading.
The Court stressed that it had not handled any case relating to the registration or deregistration of any political party, including the NDC.
According to the court, the viral social media reports linking it to the alleged deregistration did not originate from the Kogi State High Court.
“The High Court of Justice of Kogi State did not handle any matter relating to the registration or deregistration of any political party in the country, and particularly the party in question, nor any other matter concerning the political party,” the statement said.
It equally expressed worry over the use of the photograph of the Chief Judge of Kogi State, Justice Josiah Joe Majebi, alongside that of former Governor Yahaya Bello in the viral post, saying it appeared to be a deliberate attempt to create the false impression that the alleged decision came from the state’s judiciary.
The Court added that although it would not normally respond to misinformation circulating on social media, the inclusion of the Chief Judge’s photograph made it necessary to issue a clarification to protect the integrity of the judiciary.
It issued a stern warning to content creators and social media users against publishing unverified information capable of misleading the public or undermining confidence in the judicial system.
“The integrity and dignity of judges, as well as the institution of the High Court of Justice of Kogi State and other courts under its supervision, should not be subjected to false and misleading narratives.
“We urge the public to disregard the viral report and reaffirm its commitment to the fair and impartial administration of justice without fear or favour,” the statement partly read.
The clarification came after recent legal developments involving the NDC.
Recall that in June, the Federal High Court in Lokoja set aside its earlier judgment directing the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to register the party, ruling that the original case was procedurally defective because interested parties were not joined in the suit.
After the ruling, the NDC maintained that the court did not order its deregistration, emphasising that it had appealed the judgment and filed an application for a stay of execution.
The party also insisted that it remains a legally recognised political party pending the outcome of the appeal.
