By Ihechi Enyinnaya
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has denied allegations that it deliberately excluded Labour Party candidates from the 2026 Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections, citing unresolved leadership disputes and ongoing court cases involving the party.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, INEC said the clarification followed a protest by Labour Party supporters at its Abuja headquarters on Monday, January 5, 2026. The protesters accused the commission of refusing to issue access codes required to upload the party’s candidates for the Area Council elections scheduled for Saturday, February 21, 2026.
INEC explained that the Labour Party has been embroiled in protracted internal leadership crises since 2024, which culminated in a Supreme Court judgment delivered on April 4, 2025, in Appeal No. SC/CV/56/2025 (Usman v. Labour Party). According to the commission, the apex court ruled that the tenure of the Barrister Julius Abure-led National Executive Committee had expired.
Despite the ruling, INEC said the Abure-led faction allegedly went ahead to conduct primaries for the August 16, 2025 bye-elections and the forthcoming FCT Area Council polls. This action, the commission noted, formed the basis of its decision to exclude the party from participating in the bye-elections.
INEC recalled that the Labour Party had challenged its exclusion in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/1523/2025 at the Federal High Court, Abuja. However, judgment delivered on August 15, 2025 dismissed the suit and affirmed that Barr. Abure was no longer recognised as the party’s national chairman, thereby upholding INEC’s position.
The commission further disclosed that the Labour Party has since filed multiple suits in different courts seeking orders to compel INEC to issue access codes for uploading candidates for the FCT Area Council elections. These include cases at the Nasarawa State High Court, the Federal High Court in Abuja, and two separate divisions of the FCT High Court.
INEC noted that in the most recent case, Suit No. CV/4930/2025 at the FCT High Court, Life Camp Division, an interim ex parte order was granted on December 16, 2025, directing the commission to upload the party’s candidates. However, the court expressly stated that the order would lapse after seven days unless extended.
According to INEC, the interim order expired on December 23, 2025 and was not renewed, leaving no subsisting court order mandating the commission to act.
“With the matter still pending before the courts, INEC will continue to respect the sanctity of the judicial process and await the final determination of the cases,” the statement said.
The commission reaffirmed its commitment to the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Electoral Act 2022, and its regulations and guidelines, stressing that political parties must adhere to democratic principles and the rule of law in managing their internal affairs.
The statement was signed by Mrs. Victoria Eta-Messi, Director of Voter Education and Publicity, and dated January 7, 2026.