The Barr Julius Abure-led Labour Party has frowned at the omission by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of its candidates for the August 16, 2025 by-election.
The party described the omission as unlawful, surprising and an abuse of power by the commission.
National Publicity Secretary of the party, Obiora Ifoh, said as a registered political party in Nigeria, the Labour Party is aware of its rights as specified in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Electoral Acts 2022, as amended as regards to its powers to sponsor candidates in elections.
He said the party was also aware that the INEC has no powers to either stop it from sponsoring candidates nor cherry-pick elections where it deems fit for the party to field candidates.
“It is on record that no court in Nigeria, including the Supreme Court has derecognised the present leadership of the Labour Party. It is also a fact that the April 4, 2025, judgement of the Supreme Court ruled only on the lack of the jurisdiction of the lower court and Court of Appeal.
“The Supreme Court did not rule on the substantive matter as courts, including the Supreme Court is bared from entertaining cases on the internal matters of any political party.
“The Supreme Court in its wisdom ruled that parties should resolve its problems within the available mechanism as provided by its constitutions.”
Ifoh added that at no point did the Supreme Court empowered INEC to interfere with the internal matters of the political party.
He said INEC, being a regulatory body, must limit itself to the provisions of the laws that instituted it.
“INEC cannot stop political parties from fielding candidates in an election, provided the political parties abided by the requirement of the Electoral Acts.
“We are by this statement asking INEC to enlist our duly nominated candidates for the August 16 bye-election without further delay and also refrain from interfering with the internal matters of the Labour Party.
“INEC cannot arrogate to itself the powers of the courts or give different interpretation to a clear judgement of the apex court.
“The actions of the INEC if not redressed immediately will be challenged. The Labour Party as a responsible organisation will do everything within the law to ensure that all efforts by INEC to intimidate, harass and ridicule the Labour Party will be resisted.
“Labour Party has built reputation in the last 23 years as a party for the masses and we will not succumb to the renewed onslaught by some politicians using every available means to stultify our party’s progress.
“Labour Party is not for sale and any institution or commission making itself available to be used by politicians will have itself to be blamed,” the party said.
It warned that the party will not waste its resources and precious time should INEC go ahead with the by-election without Labour Party in the ballot.
“It will indeed be catastrophic and a collosal loss of scarce monetary resources should INEC have its way.
“We are also calling on Nigerians, particularly, Labour Party members to remain vigilant and to keep praying for the nation that some day, the electoral process in Nigeria will be gotten right and that some persons will be made to take responsibilities for their actions and inactions while in office.
“We are also calling on all our candidates to remain calm as the party will do everything possible to ensure their names are uploaded for the the August 16, 2025 bye election and every other elections in the future,” the party added.
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