By Mercy Peter
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed claims that it unjustly excluded Labour Party candidates from the forthcoming Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections, attributing the situation to unresolved leadership disputes within the party and ongoing court cases.
In a press statement issued on Wednesday, INEC responded to a protest staged on Monday, January 5, by some Labour Party supporters at its Abuja headquarters.
The protesters accused the Commission of deliberately denying the party access codes required to upload the names of its candidates for the FCT Area Council elections scheduled for Saturday, February 21, 2026.
INEC,said the controversy stemmed from prolonged internal crises in the Labour Party, which have persisted since 2024 and were conclusively addressed by the Supreme Court in April 2025.
According to the Commission, the apex court, in Appeal No. SC/CV/56/2025 (Usman v. Labour Party) delivered on April 4, 2025, ruled unequivocally that the tenure of the Barrister Julius Abure-led National Executive Committee had expired.
INEC stated that the Abure-led faction went ahead to conduct party primaries for both the August 16, 2025 bye-elections and the 2026 FCT Area Council elections, actions the Commission said were inconsistent with the Supreme Court’s judgment.
The Commission recalled that the Abure-led faction subsequently filed a suit against INEC at the Federal High Court, Abuja Suit No. FHC/ABJ/1523/2025, Labour Party v. INEC—challenging its exclusion from the 2025 bye-elections.
Judgment delivered on August 15, 2025 dismissed the suit and reaffirmed that Barr. Abure was no longer recognised as the party’s national chairman, thereby upholding INEC’s decision.
INEC further disclosed that the Labour Party has since filed multiple suits in various courts seeking orders to compel the Commission to issue access codes for uploading candidates for the FCT Area Council election.
These include a case at the Nasarawa State High Court, Akwanga Division, and another at the Federal High Court, Abuja Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/2110/2025 which remains pending.
According to the Commission, the party also approached the FCT High Court, Jabi Division, in Suit No. CV/4792/2025, where a motion to compel INEC to issue access codes is scheduled for hearing on January 15, 2026.
INEC expressed surprise that, instead of awaiting the outcome of that motion, the party filed yet another suit Suit No. CV/4930/2025 at the FCT High Court, Life Camp Division, seeking similar reliefs.
INEC clarified that while an interim ex parte order was granted in the Life Camp case on December 16, 2025, directing the Commission to upload Labour Party candidates, the court explicitly stated that the order would lapse after seven days unless extended.
The Commission said it promptly filed its defence challenging the competence and jurisdiction of the suit, and the interim order subsequently lapsed on December 23, 2025 without extension.
“As it stands, there is presently no subsisting court order directing INEC to issue access codes or upload the particulars of the Labour Party candidates,” the Commission said.
INEC emphasized that, given the matter is still before the courts, it remains sub judice and the Commission will continue to respect the judicial process pending final determination of the cases.
INEC said it remains committed to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Electoral Act 2022, and its own regulations and guidelines, adding that political parties must be held accountable to democratic standards and the rule of law in the management of their internal affairs.
