Why We Excluded Labour Party Candidates from FCT Area Council Election — INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has explained the reasons behind its decision to exclude Labour Party (LP) candidates from the forthcoming Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council election, stating that the action was based on subsisting court decisions and the absence of any valid order compelling the Commission to act otherwise.

The FCT Area Council election is scheduled to hold on Saturday, February 21, 2026.

INEC gave the explanation in a statement issued on Wednesday by its Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Mrs. Victoria Eta-Messi, following a protest by some Labour Party supporters at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja on Monday, January 5, 2026. The protesters accused INEC of deliberately excluding LP candidates from the election and demanded the immediate issuance of access codes to enable the party upload its candidates.

According to the Commission, the issue is rooted in the Labour Party’s prolonged internal leadership crisis, which has persisted since 2024. INEC recalled that the dispute culminated in a Supreme Court judgment in *Appeal No. SC/CV/56/2025 (Usman v. Labour Party)* delivered on April 4, 2025, which held that the tenure of the Barrister Julius Abure-led National Executive Committee had expired.

Despite the apex court’s ruling, INEC said the Abure-led faction went ahead to conduct primaries for the August 16, 2025 bye-elections nationwide, including the FCT Area Council election, a move that triggered legal disputes between the party and the electoral body.

The Commission stated that the faction subsequently approached the Federal High Court, Abuja, in *Suit No. FHC/ABJ/1523/2025 – Labour Party v. INEC*, challenging its exclusion from the bye-election. Judgment delivered on August 15, 2025 dismissed the suit and reaffirmed the Supreme Court’s position that Barrister Abure was no longer recognised as National Chairman of the party, thereby upholding INEC’s decision.

INEC further disclosed that the Labour Party filed multiple suits in different courts seeking orders to compel the Commission to issue access codes for the upload of candidates for the FCT Area Council election. Among them are *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 remains pending.

Another suit, *Suit No. CV/4792/2025*, was filed at the FCT High Court, Jabi Division, alongside a motion seeking an order directing INEC to issue access codes. The Commission said the matter was adjourned to January 15, 2026, after it filed its response.

INEC noted that rather than await the hearing, the party filed yet another suit, *Suit No. CV/4930/2025*, before the FCT High Court, Life Camp Division, seeking the same relief. An interim ex parte order was granted on December 16, 2025, directing INEC to upload the names and particulars of Labour Party candidates, but the court expressly stated that the order would lapse after seven days unless extended.

According to INEC, the interim order lapsed on December 23, 2025, and was not renewed. “There is presently no subsisting court order directing the Commission to issue access codes or upload Labour Party candidates,” the statement said.

The Commission stressed that the matter is still before the courts and that it would not take any step that could undermine ongoing judicial proceedings. INEC said it would continue to respect the sanctity of the judicial process and await the final determination of the pending cases.

INEC reaffirmed its commitment to due process, the Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022 and its regulations and guidelines, adding that it remains firm in holding political parties accountable to democratic standards and the rule of law in the conduct of their internal affairs.