The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has restated that Barrister Julius Abure is no longer recognised as the National Chairman of the Labour Party, maintaining that the party remains ineligible to take part in the 2026 Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections scheduled for Saturday, February 21.
INEC reaffirmed this position in a statement issued on Wednesday by its Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Mrs Victoria Eta-Messi, following a protest staged on Monday by some Labour Party supporters at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
According to the Commission, the protesters complained about the exclusion of Labour Party candidates from the FCT Area Council elections and demanded the release of an access code to enable the party upload the names of its candidates.
Responding, INEC explained that the Labour Party has been embroiled in protracted leadership disputes since 2024, a situation that was ultimately settled by a Supreme Court ruling.
The Commission referenced the apex court’s judgment in Appeal No. SC/CV/56/2025 (Usman v. Labour Party), delivered on April 4, 2025, which clearly held that the tenure of the National Executive Committee led by Barrister Julius Abure had expired.
INEC noted that despite this definitive ruling, the Abure-led faction went ahead to conduct primaries for the August 16, 2025 bye-elections nationwide as well as the FCT Area Council elections, actions the Commission said were contrary to the Supreme Court’s decision.
The electoral body further recalled that the faction subsequently challenged its exclusion from the bye-elections at the Federal High Court, Abuja, in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/1523/2025 (Labour Party v. INEC). However, the court, in a judgment delivered on August 15, 2025, dismissed the suit and upheld the Supreme Court’s position that Abure was no longer the party’s recognised National Chairman, thereby affirming INEC’s decision to exclude the Labour Party from the polls.
INEC added that the Labour Party later instituted several suits against the Commission in different courts, all seeking orders compelling INEC to issue access codes for uploading candidates for the FCT Area Council elections.
Some of the cases listed by the Commission include Suit No. NSD/LF.84/2024 at the Nasarawa State High Court, Akwanga Division, and Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/2110/2025 at the Federal High Court, Abuja, which remains pending.
The Commission also disclosed that the party approached the FCT High Court, Jabi Division, in Suit No. CV/4792/2025, where the matter was adjourned to January 15, 2026, for hearing of the motion.
INEC expressed concern that while the case was still before the court, the Labour Party filed another fresh suit at the FCT High Court, Life Camp Division, Suit No. CV/4930/2025, seeking the same relief.
In that suit, INEC said the Life Camp court granted an interim order on December 16, 2025, directing the Commission to upload the details of Labour Party candidates for the FCT Area Council elections, but expressly stated that the order would lapse after seven days unless extended.
The Commission explained that upon being served, it immediately filed its defence challenging the court’s jurisdiction and the competence of the suit, adding that the interim order subsequently lapsed on December 23, 2025, without being renewed.
“As a result, there is currently no subsisting court order directing INEC to take any action,” the Commission stated.
INEC further stressed that since the matter is sub judice, it will continue to respect the judicial process and await the final outcome of the pending cases.
The Commission reaffirmed its commitment to the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Electoral Act 2022, and its regulations and guidelines, pledging to continue holding political parties accountable to democratic principles and the rule of law in the management of their internal affairs.