The Labour Party (LP) has criticised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for excluding its candidates from the August 16 Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) by-elections, describing the action as unlawful and an abuse of power.
In an open letter titled: “Re: Exclusion of Labour Party Candidates from August 16 By-Elections”, addressed to the INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, and signed by the party’s Bayelsa State Legal Adviser, Barr. Enu Kikanwa Timipre, the Labour Party said the decision was surprising and contrary to the principles of democracy.
“The commission’s role is to ensure compliance with the Electoral Act, not to dictate which parties can field candidates,” Timipre stated in the letter made available to newsmen in Yenagoa on Monday.
He expressed shock that INEC took such a decision without any prior notice or explanation to the party.
“The sudden exclusion of our candidates without prior notice or explanation is unacceptable. INEC must provide clear reasons for its actions to maintain transparency and accountability,” he said.
Timipre argued that INEC’s action was based on an illegal interpretation of a Supreme Court judgment and amounted to interference in the party’s internal affairs.
“We believe INEC’s actions are essentially an attempt to impose an illegal interpretation of the Supreme Court’s judgment. The court’s ruling did not empower INEC to meddle in the Labour Party’s internal affairs,” he noted.
He called on INEC to immediately reinstate its candidates or provide clear and valid reasons for their exclusion, warning that the party would take legal action if necessary.
“If INEC fails to reverse its decision, it would not only undermine the electoral process but also imply that we should resort to other measures.
“However, as law-abiding citizens who believe in the rule of law and the democratic process, we will be forced to explore legal avenues to ensure our candidates are rightfully on the ballot and will not relent until justice is served,” he added.
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