The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that it refused to recognise the candidates of Julius Abure-led Labour Party (LP) nominated for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) council polls and by-elections because his tenure has elapsed.

INEC Director, Voter Education and Publicity, Mrs. Victoria Eta-Messi, in a statement Wednesday recalled that on Monday, January 5, 2026, some supporters of the LP protested at the INEC headquarters, Abuja complaining about the exclusion of their candidates for the FCT Area Council election scheduled for Saturday, February 21, 2026 and demanded for the issuance of access code to upload its candidates for the election.

The electoral body maintained that the LP 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 April 4, 2025.

Eta-Messi noted that in that decision, the apex court unequivocally held that the tenure of the Julius Abure-led National Executive Committee had expired.

She stressed that despite this clear pronouncement, the Abure-led faction purportedly conducted primaries for the August 16, 2025 by-election nationwide and the FCT Area Council election.

According to her, “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 by-election.”

Eta-Messi said the judgment was delivered on August 15, 2025, dismissing the suit and enforcing the Supreme Court’s position that Abure was no longer recognised as the National Chairman of the Labour Party and thus upholding the decision of INEC to exclude the LP from the by-election.

She noted that thereafter, the LP 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 FCT Area Council election scheduled for Saturday, February 21, 2026.

Eta-Messi added: “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 commission said the interim order consequently lapsed on December 23, 2025 and was not extended.

She said accordingly, there is presently no subsisting court order for INEC to act upon.

The commission stressed that 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 reiterated 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. (This Day)

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