Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed claims that it deliberately excluded candidates of the Labour Party from the forthcoming Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections, attributing the development to unresolved leadership disputes and ongoing court proceedings involving the party.
INEC made the clarification in a press statement on Wednesday, following a protest by some Labour Party supporters at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja on Monday, January 5, 2026. The protesters had accused the electoral body of unlawfully excluding their party’s candidates from the FCT Area Council election scheduled for Saturday, February 21, 2026, and demanded the issuance of access codes to enable candidate uploads.
Responding to the allegations, INEC explained that the Labour Party has been embroiled in “prolonged internal leadership disputes since 2024,” which culminated in a decisive ruling by the Supreme Court.
According to the Commission, the apex court, in Appeal No. SC/CV/56/2025 (Usman v. Labour Party) delivered on April 4, 2025, “unequivocally held that the tenure of the Barr. Julius Abure-led National Executive Committee had expired.”
Despite the ruling, INEC stated that the Abure-led faction went ahead to conduct primaries for both the August 16, 2025 bye-elections nationwide and the FCT Area Council election.
The Commission recalled that the same faction subsequently challenged its exclusion from the bye-election in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/1523/2025 – Labour Party v. INEC at the Federal High Court, Abuja. Judgment, delivered on August 15, 2025, dismissed the suit and reaffirmed the Supreme Court’s position, “upholding the decision of INEC to exclude the Labour Party from the bye-election.”
INEC further revealed that the Labour Party has since filed multiple lawsuits across different courts, all seeking orders compelling the Commission to issue access codes for uploading candidates for the FCT Area Council election.
Among the cases listed were Suit No. NSD/LF.84/2024 before the Nasarawa State High Court, Akwanga Division, and Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/2110/2025 at the Federal High Court, Abuja, which INEC noted is still pending.
The Commission also disclosed that the party approached the FCT High Court, Jabi Division, in Suit No. CV/4792/2025, where a motion seeking similar relief was adjourned to January 15, 2026, after INEC filed its response.
INEC expressed concern that instead of awaiting the outcome, the Labour Party filed yet another case, Suit No. CV/4930/2025, at the FCT High Court, Life Camp Division, seeking the same order.
In that case, the court granted an interim ex parte order on December 16, 2025, directing INEC to upload the names of Labour Party candidates. However, the Commission emphasized that the court “expressly stated that the Order would lapse after seven days unless extended.”
INEC said it promptly challenged the suit and the jurisdiction of the court, noting that the interim order “lapsed on 23rd December, 2025 and was not extended.”
“Accordingly, there is presently no subsisting Court Order for INEC to act upon,” the Commission stated.
INEC concluded by stressing that the matter remains before the courts and assured the public that it would continue to respect the rule of law.
“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 statement added.
