The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially stated that the Labour Party (LP) will not participate in the upcoming Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections. The commission attributes this exclusion directly to the party's severe and ongoing internal leadership crisis, which has resulted in multiple unresolved court cases.
Protest and Immediate Cause
This clarification from INEC came after a group of Labour Party supporters staged a protest at the commission's headquarters in Abuja on Monday, January 5, 2026. The protesters accused INEC of intentionally sidelining their party's candidates for the polls scheduled for Saturday, February 21, 2026. They demanded that INEC provide the necessary access codes to upload their candidates' particulars, claiming the exclusion was a deliberate act of disenfranchisement.
Supreme Court Ruling and Leadership Dispute
In a detailed statement released on Wednesday and signed by Victoria Eta-Messi, INEC's Director of Voter Education and Publicity, the commission traced the root of the problem to a landmark Supreme Court judgment. The apex court, in Appeal No. SC/CV/56/2025 (Usman v. Labour Party) delivered on April 4, 2025, ruled unequivocally that the tenure of the Julius Abure-led National Executive Committee had expired.
INEC recalled that the Labour Party had previously challenged its exclusion from the August 2025 bye-elections. That case, FHC/ABJ/1523/2025 (Labour Party v. INEC), was dismissed by the Federal High Court in Abuja on August 15, 2025. The court affirmed that Julius Abure was no longer recognised as the party's national chairman.
Despite this clear legal position, INEC noted that the Abure-led faction proceeded to conduct primaries for both the bye-elections and the FCT council polls.
Multiple Court Cases and Lapsed Orders
The electoral body further disclosed that the Labour Party has filed a series of lawsuits in different courts, seeking orders to compel INEC to issue the access codes. These cases were filed at:
- The Nasarawa State High Court
- The Federal High Court in Abuja
- Two separate divisions of the FCT High Court
INEC described this strategy as an attempt to obtain conflicting judicial orders. While the FCT High Court, Life Camp Division, granted an interim ex parte order on December 16, 2025, directing INEC to upload the party's candidates, this order was explicitly set to lapse after seven days and was not renewed. It expired on December 23, 2025.
The commission highlighted that the party filed another fresh suit (Suit No. CV/4792/2025) at the FCT High Court, Jabi Division, with a hearing adjourned to January 15, 2026. Instead of waiting for that hearing, the party filed yet another suit (CV/4930/2025) at the Life Camp Division seeking the same relief.
"Accordingly, there is presently no subsisting court order for INEC to act upon," the commission's statement concluded.
INEC's Commitment to Rule of Law
INEC emphasized that, given the matter is sub judice (before a court), it will continue to respect the judicial process and await the final determination of all pending cases. The commission reiterated its unwavering commitment to the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Electoral Act 2022, and its own regulations and guidelines.
"The Commission will continue to hold political parties accountable to democratic standards and the rule of law in the conduct of their internal affairs," the statement firmly declared, underscoring its position amidst the ongoing political and legal turmoil.
