The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has defended its decision to bar the Labour Party (LP) from fielding candidates in next month’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections, insisting it acted in strict compliance with the law.
In a statement on Wednesday, INEC’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi, said the Commission’s action was anchored on a Supreme Court judgement which declared that the tenure of the Barrister Julius Abure-led National Working Committee of the Labour Party had expired.
INEC’s explanation followed a protest by LP supporters at the Commission’s Abuja headquarters on Monday, where demonstrators accused the electoral body of deliberately disenfranchising the party ahead of the February 21 Area Council polls.
However, INEC maintained that the Supreme Court, in its April 2025 ruling, unequivocally held that the Abure-led leadership had no legal standing, rendering all primaries conducted by that faction—including those for the FCT election—invalid.
The Commission also recalled that a Federal High Court in Abuja had earlier dismissed a suit filed by the Labour Party challenging its exclusion from a bye-election, affirming that Julius Abure was no longer recognised as the party’s national chairman and backing INEC’s position.
Addressing claims of a subsisting court order, INEC clarified that an interim order previously granted by an FCT High Court had lapsed after seven days and was not renewed, leaving no valid directive compelling the Commission to act.
While noting that several cases instituted by the Labour Party remain pending in court, INEC said it would continue to respect the judicial process and abide by the rule of law.
“The Commission reiterates its unwavering commitment to the Constitution, the Electoral Act, and its Regulations and Guidelines,” INEC stated, adding that it will “continue to hold political parties accountable to democratic standards and the rule of law in the conduct of their internal affairs.”
