Deregistration: NDC Confident Appeal Will Succeed — Chairman

The National Chairman of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Moses Cleopas, has said the party remains confident that the appellate court will overturn the ruling against its registration.

According to Punch, Cleopas said the party had anticipated legal and political challenges, adding that the development had not shaken its resolve.

“As the main opposition party today, we have always anticipated what they could throw at us. We are not fools not to have been thinking in that direction.

“From the time that breaking news came, our legal team has been working with the assurance that this is an abuse of the judicial system of this country,” he said.

Cleopas urged judicial officers not to undermine public confidence in the justice system.

“We are pleading that the judicial players should not drive this country into the mud. We still believe that the judiciary is the last hope of the common man.

“This is just an attempt to see whether we will shake. There is no shaking because we are stronger,” he added.

A senior party official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the NDC had also activated a public engagement strategy involving civil society organisations, professional bodies and media groups.

“Presently, the party has activated and structured a move to start engaging civil societies and media engagements as part of its defence and future campaigns.

“In the days to come, there will be a series of press conferences and parleys with CSOs and pressure groups,” the source said.