Dare Babalola
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has given reasons for denying the Labour Party access codes to upload candidates for the February 21, 2026, Federal Capital Territory Area Council election.
The Commission’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Mrs Victoria Ewa-Messi, stated on Wednesday that the party’s prolonged leadership crisis and multiple court cases informed the decision.
Labour Party supporters protested at INEC headquarters in Abuja, alleging the Commission excluded their candidates from the election and withheld access codes needed to upload their names.
INEC said the protest was unnecessary, insisting the matter was already before different courts and therefore sub judice.
The Commission recalled that the leadership crisis in the party culminated in a Supreme Court judgment delivered on April 4, 2025, which held that the tenure of the National Executive Committee led by Julius Abure had expired.
The statement said, “Despite this clear pronouncement, the Abure-led faction purportedly conducted primaries for the August 16, 2025, bye-election nationwide and the FCT Area Council Election.”
INEC further noted that subsequent cases filed by the party seeking to compel the Commission to issue access codes had either been dismissed or were still pending in court.
It explained that although a High Court in Abuja granted an interim ex parte order on December 16, 2025 directing it to upload Labour Party candidates, the order expired after seven days and was not extended.
“The interim Order consequently lapsed on 23rd December, 2025 and was not extended. Accordingly, there is presently no subsisting Court Order for INEC to act upon,” INEC stated.
INEC maintained that it would continue to respect the judicial process and await final court decisions before taking any action on the matter.
