The Impartial Nationwide Electoral Fee(INEC), stated it is not going to embody candidates of the Labour Party (LP) within the forthcoming Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Space Councils election, till courtroom instances involving the get together are decided.
Members of the Labour Party, loyal to the Julius Abure-led faction, on Monday protested at INEC’s headquarters in Abuja over the exclusion of their candidates from collaborating within the February 21 FCT Space Council election.
The LP members stated the protest was in opposition to the refusal of INEC to obey a courtroom order which directed the fee to concern entry codes to allow the get together to add its candidates.
Responding to the protesters, INEC Nationwide Commissioner, Prof. Adullahi Zuru had assured that he’ll personally hand over the courtroom order offered by the get together members to the chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan and the fee will act appropriately on it.
However in a press release signed by its director of Voter Training and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi, INEC stated LP had been enmeshed in extended inside management disputes since 2024, which culminated within the judgment of the Supreme Courtroom in Appeal No. SC/CV/56/2025 (Usman v. Labour Party) delivered on April 4, 2025.
Eta-Messi stated in that judgement, the Apex Courtroom unequivocally held that the tenure of the Julius Abure-led Nationwide Govt Committee had expired however regardless of the clear pronouncement, the Abure-led faction purportedly performed primaries for the August 16, 2025, bye-election nationwide and the FCT Space Council election.
She stated, provided that the matter is sub judice, INEC will proceed to respect the sanctity of the judicial course of and await the ultimate dedication of the pending instances.
“On Monday, fifth January, 2026 some supporters of the Labour Party protested on the INEC Headquarters, Abuja complaining in regards to the exclusion of their candidates for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Space Council Election scheduled for Saturday, twenty first February, 2026 by the Impartial Nationwide Electoral Fee (INEC) and demanded for the issuance of entry code to add its candidates for the election.
“In response, the Fee needs to state that the Labour Party has been enmeshed in extended inside management disputes since 2024, which culminated within the judgment of the Supreme Courtroom in Appeal No. SC/CV/56/2025 (Usman v. Labour Party) delivered on 4th April 2025.
“In that call, the Apex Courtroom unequivocally held that the tenure of the Barr. Julius Abure-led Nationwide Govt Committee had expired.
“Regardless of this clear pronouncement, the Abure-led faction purportedly performed primaries for the August 16, 2025, bye-election nationwide and the FCT Space Council Election.
“It is usually pertinent to recall that the Abure-led faction instituted Swimsuit No. FHC/ABJ/1523/2025– Labour Party v. INEC on the Federal Excessive Courtroom, Abuja, difficult the choice of INEC excluding it from collaborating within the bye-election.
“Judgment was delivered on fifteenth August, 2025, dismissing the go well with and imposing the Supreme Courtroom’s place that Barr. Julius Abure was not recognised because the Nationwide Chairman of the Labour Party and thus upholding the choice of INEC to exclude the Labour Party from the bye-election.
“Thereafter, the Labour Party filed a number of fits in opposition to INEC in several courts, all searching for Orders compelling INEC to grant an entry code for the add of its candidates for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Space Council Election scheduled for Saturday, twenty first February, 2026.
“These fits embody Swimsuit No. NSD/LF.84/2024 earlier than the Nasarawa State Excessive Courtroom, Akwanga Division. When the matter on the Nasarawa State Excessive Courtroom acquired stalled, the Labour Party approached the Federal Excessive Courtroom Abuja in Swimsuit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/2110/2025 searching for an Order compelling INEC to concern Entry Codes to its candidates and the matter continues to be pending earlier than the Courtroom.
“The Labour Party once more approached the FCT Excessive Courtroom, Jabi Division in one other contemporary Swimsuit No. CV/4792/2025 and filed a Movement searching for an Order compelling INEC to concern Entry Codes to its candidates for the FCT Space Council election.
“The matter was adjourned, after INEC had filed its Reply, to fifteenth January 2026 for the listening to of the movement. One would have anticipated the Party to attend for the listening to of this movement, however the Labour Party filed one other go well with in Swimsuit No. CV/4930/2025 earlier than the FCT Excessive Courtroom, Life Camp Division, searching for the identical reduction to compel INEC to grant Entry Codes to add its candidates for the FCT Space Council election.
“By an Order Exparte on this newest Swimsuit No. CV/4930/2025, the FCT Excessive Courtroom sitting in Life Camp, Abuja granted an interim Order on sixteenth December, 2025, directing the Fee to add the names and particulars of the Labour Party candidates for the FCT Space Council Election.
“The Courtroom expressly said that the Order would lapse after seven days until prolonged. Upon being served with the originating processes, INEC promptly filed its defence, difficult the competence of the go well with and the jurisdiction of the Courtroom. The interim Order consequently lapsed on twenty third December, 2025 and was not prolonged. Accordingly, there’s presently no subsisting Courtroom Order for INEC to behave upon.
“Provided that the matter is sub judice, INEC will proceed to respect the sanctity of the judicial course of and await the ultimate dedication of the pending instances,” the fee stated.
The fee nevertheless reiterated its dedication to the Structure of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), the Electoral Act, 2022, in addition to its Rules and Tips.
It additionally added that it’ll proceed to carry political events accountable to democratic requirements and the Rule of Legislation within the conduct of their inside affairs.
