Why We Excluded Labour Party Candidates From Abuja Council Polls – Electoral Commission

The Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC), said it will not include candidates of the Labour Party (LP) in the forthcoming Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Councils election, until court cases involving the party are determined.

Members of the Labour Party, loyal to the Julius Abure-led faction, on Monday protested at INEC’s headquarters in Abuja over the exclusion of their candidates from participating in the February 21 FCT Area Council election.

The LP members said the protest was against the refusal of INEC to obey a court order which directed the commission to issue access codes to enable the party to upload its candidates.

Responding to the protesters, INEC National Commissioner, Prof. Adullahi Zuru had assured that he will personally hand over the court order presented by the party members to the chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan and the commission will act appropriately on it.

But in a statement signed by its director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi, INEC said LP had been enmeshed in prolonged internal leadership disputes since 2024, which culminated in the judgment of the Supreme Court in Appeal No. SC/CV/56/2025 (Usman v. Labour Party) delivered on April 4, 2025.

Eta-Messi said in that judgement, the Apex Court unequivocally held that the tenure of the Julius Abure-led National Executive Committee had expired but despite the clear pronouncement, the Abure-led faction purportedly conducted primaries for the August 16, 2025, bye-election nationwide and the FCT Area Council election.

She said, given that the matter is sub judice, INEC will continue to respect the sanctity of the judicial process and await the final determination of the pending cases.

“On Monday, 5th January, 2026 some supporters of the Labour Party protested at the INEC Headquarters, Abuja complaining about the exclusion of their candidates for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council Election scheduled for Saturday, 21st February, 2026 by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and demanded for the issuance of access code to upload its candidates for the election.

“In response, the Commission wishes to state that the Labour Party has been enmeshed in prolonged internal leadership disputes since 2024, which culminated in the judgment of the Supreme Court in Appeal No. SC/CV/56/2025 (Usman v. Labour Party) delivered on 4th April 2025.

“In that decision, the Apex Court unequivocally held that the tenure of the Barr. Julius Abure-led National Executive Committee had expired.

“Despite this clear pronouncement, the Abure-led faction purportedly conducted primaries for the August 16, 2025, bye-election nationwide and the FCT Area Council Election.

“It is also pertinent to recall that the Abure-led faction instituted Suit No. FHC/ABJ/1523/2025– Labour Party v. INEC at the Federal High Court, Abuja, challenging the decision of INEC excluding it from participating in the bye-election.

“Judgment was delivered on 15th August, 2025, dismissing the suit and enforcing the Supreme Court’s position that Barr. Julius Abure was no longer recognised as the National Chairman of the Labour Party and thus upholding the decision of INEC to exclude the Labour Party from the bye-election.

“Thereafter, the Labour Party filed multiple suits against INEC in different courts, all seeking Orders compelling INEC to grant an access code for the upload of its candidates for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council Election scheduled for Saturday, 21st February, 2026.

“These suits include Suit No. NSD/LF.84/2024 before the Nasarawa State High Court, Akwanga Division. When the matter at the Nasarawa State High Court got stalled, the Labour Party approached the Federal High Court Abuja in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/2110/2025 seeking an Order compelling INEC to issue Access Codes to its candidates and the matter is still pending before the Court.

“The Labour Party again approached the FCT High Court, Jabi Division in another fresh Suit No. CV/4792/2025 and filed a Motion seeking an Order compelling INEC to issue Access Codes to its candidates for the FCT Area Council election.

“The matter was adjourned, after INEC had filed its Reply, to 15th January 2026 for the hearing of the motion. One would have expected the Party to wait for the hearing of this motion, but the Labour Party filed another suit in Suit No. CV/4930/2025 before the FCT High Court, Life Camp Division, seeking the same relief to compel INEC to grant Access Codes to upload its candidates for the FCT Area Council election.

“By an Order Exparte in this latest Suit No. CV/4930/2025, the FCT High Court sitting in Life Camp, Abuja granted an interim Order on 16th December, 2025, directing the Commission to upload the names and particulars of the Labour Party candidates for the FCT Area Council Election.

“The Court expressly stated that the Order would lapse after seven days unless extended. Upon being served with the originating processes, INEC promptly filed its defence, challenging the competence of the suit and the jurisdiction of the Court. The interim Order consequently lapsed on 23rd December, 2025 and was not extended. Accordingly, there is presently no subsisting Court Order for INEC to act upon.

“Given that the matter is sub judice, INEC will continue to respect the sanctity of the judicial process and await the final determination of the pending cases,” the commission said.

The commission however reiterated its commitment to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), the Electoral Act, 2022, as well as its Regulations and Guidelines.

It also added that it will continue to hold political parties accountable to democratic standards and the Rule of Law in the conduct of their internal affairs.