INEC: No Court Order Compelling Inclusion Of Labour Party In FCT Council Poll
As political tension builds ahead of the 2026 FCT Area Council elections, Nigeria’s electoral umpire has moved to clarify the legal fog surrounding the Labour Party’s participation, insisting that due process, not protest, must prevail.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (NEC) has dismissed claims that it deliberately excluded Labour Party candidates from the Federal Capital Territory Area Council elections scheduled for 21 February 2026, stressing that there is currently no valid court order compelling it to issue access codes to the party.
In a press statement signed by the Director, Voter Education and Publicity, Mrs. Victoria Eta-Messi, INEC explained that the controversy stems from prolonged leadership disputes within the Labour Party, which were decisively settled by the Supreme Court in April 2025.
The apex court ruled that the tenure of the Julius Abure-led National Executive Committee had expired, a position later reinforced by the Federal High Court in August 2025 when it upheld INEC’s exclusion of the party from earlier bye-elections.
Despite these judgments, INEC stated that the Abure-led faction proceeded to conduct primaries and subsequently filed multiple suits in various courts, all seeking to compel the Commission to issue access codes for uploading candidates’ details.
INEC noted that while an interim ex parte order was granted by the FCT High Court, Life Camp Division, on 16 December 2025, the order explicitly lapsed after seven days and was not renewed. “There is presently no subsisting court order for INEC to act upon,” the Commission stated.
The electoral body added that the matter remains sub judice, with some cases still pending before the courts, and assured the public of its commitment to the Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022, and the rule of law.
INEC reaffirmed that it would continue to hold political parties accountable to democratic standards, particularly in the management of their internal affairs, while awaiting final judicial pronouncements on the issue.
Follow the Savinews Africa channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VawgaEL5vKA9Y5XTFg0n
