Odimmegwa Johnpeter/Abuja
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. This was contained in a statement signed by Mrs. Victoria Eta-Messi, Director, Voter Education and Publicity, INEC.
According to the statement, in response to this, the Commission stated 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 further reads: “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 reiterates its unwavering commitment to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), the Electoral Act, 2022, as well as its Regulations and Guidelines, and will continue to hold political parties accountable to democratic standards and the Rule of Law in the conduct of their internal affairs,” it also added.
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