Nigeria’s electoral umpire has hit back at claims that it is unfairly excluding the Labour Party from the upcoming Federal Capital Territory (FCT) elections, citing a “prolonged leadership dispute.”
In a statement released on Wednesday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it could not issue access codes for the party to upload its candidates because the leadership that conducted its primaries is not legally recognised.
The row sparked protests at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja on Monday, with supporters demanding that the party be allowed to contest the 21 February polls.
A party divided
The heart of the issue lies in a 2024 leadership crisis that has split the Labour Party into rival factions.
INEC pointed to a Supreme Court ruling from April 2025, which held that the tenure of the national executive led by Julius Abure had expired. Despite this, Mr. Abure’s faction continued to hold primaries and select candidates for the local elections in the capital.
“The commission wishes to state that the Labour Party has been enmeshed in prolonged internal leadership disputes,” said Victoria Eta-Messi, INEC’s Director of Voter Education.
A ‘marathon’ of lawsuits
The commission described a “multiplicity” of court cases filed by the party in various states—including Nasarawa and Abuja—as it attempts to force INEC to grant it access to the digital candidate portal.
- Failed Bids: A previous suit in August 2025 was dismissed, with a judge upholding INEC’s decision to exclude the Abure-led faction from earlier bye-elections.
- Expired Orders: While a court in Abuja’s Life Camp district briefly ordered INEC to upload the candidates in December, the commission noted that the order lapsed after seven days and was not extended.
- Pending Decisions: Another hearing is scheduled for 15 January 2026.
‘Respecting the Law’
INEC insists it is not acting with bias but is waiting for the judiciary to provide a final, clear path forward.
“Given that the matter is sub judice [under judicial consideration], INEC will continue to respect the sanctity of the judicial process,” the statement read.
The commission added that it remains committed to holding political parties to “democratic standards” and will only act once a subsisting court order is in place.
The 21 February elections will see residents of the FCT vote for chairmen and councillors across the six area councils. Without a resolution in the next fortnight, the Labour Party—which saw a surge in popularity during the 2023 general elections—faces being left off the ballot entirely.
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