The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially explained its decision to exclude the Labour Party (LP) from the upcoming Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections. The commission attributes this significant move to the party's ongoing internal leadership crisis and a series of unresolved court cases.
Protest and Official Clarification
The commission's position was made clear following a protest staged by Labour Party supporters at the INEC headquarters in Abuja on Monday. The demonstrators accused the electoral body of intentionally sidelining their party's candidates and demanded access codes to upload candidate particulars. They framed the exclusion as a deliberate act of disenfranchisement, pointing to a court order they believed supported their inclusion.
However, in a statement released on Tuesday and signed by its Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi, INEC provided a detailed legal rationale for its action. The commission stated that the controversy stems directly from a Supreme Court judgment.
The Legal Basis for Exclusion
INEC referenced the Supreme Court's ruling in Appeal No. SC/CV/56/2025 (Usman v. Labour Party), delivered on April 4, 2025. The apex court unequivocally declared that the tenure of the Julius Abure-led National Executive Committee (NEC) had expired, nullifying its authority.
The electoral body further recalled that the Labour Party had previously challenged a similar exclusion from the August 2025 bye-elections. That suit, FHC/ABJ/1523/2025 (Labour Party v. INEC), was dismissed by the Federal High Court in Abuja on August 15, 2025. The court affirmed that Julius Abure was no longer recognized as the party's national chairman, reinforcing INEC's position.
Call for Credible Polls and Voter Registration
In a related development, the Igbo Community Association (ICA) in the FCT has called on INEC to ensure the conduct of a free, fair, and credible election. In a statement jointly issued by its National President, Ikenna Ellis-Ezenekwe, and Secretary-General, Emmanuel Onah, the group appealed directly to the INEC National Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan.
The ICA urged the commission to:
- Create more public awareness around the electoral process.
- Ensure more qualified persons are registered to vote.
This call aligns with INEC's recent announcement to reopen its continuous voter registration exercise. The ICA FCT specifically encouraged all eligible Igbo residents in Abuja to seize this opportunity to register and exercise their franchise in the February 21, 2026 Area Council elections.
The situation highlights the ongoing tension between political party internal governance and electoral participation, setting a critical precedent for future polls.
