Labour party protests exclusion of candidates’ names by INEC

A faction of the Labour Party led by Barrister Julius Abure on Wednesday staged a peaceful protest at the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja, demanding the immediate upload of their candidates’ names for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and other by-elections on the INEC portal. Speaking during the protest, the […]

A faction of the Labour Party led by Barrister Julius Abure on Wednesday staged a peaceful protest at the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja, demanding the immediate upload of their candidates’ names for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and other by-elections on the INEC portal.

Speaking during the protest, the Labour Party chairmanship candidate for the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Kingsley Okeke, said he was duly elected in a valid primary conducted by the party for the forthcoming election scheduled for February 26, 2026.

“We did our primaries very well and I emerged as the candidate of the party. I was the first person ever consulted, and everything was done in line with the Electoral Act,” he said. “But to our surprise, our names have not appeared on the INEC portal.”

He said the protest was not meant to incite unrest but to demand justice. “We have come peacefully. We have contained our crowd because we are peaceful people. Labour Party is known for peace, and we are here to appeal to Professor Mahmood Yakubu to do the right thing.”

“This cannot be a ploy to destabilise us or stop us from moving forward toward the campaign. They know that Labour Party owns the FCT. But they cannot succeed with this,” he said.

Among the leaders of the protests, the Deputy National Youth leader of the Abure-led faction of the party, Dr. Barry Avotu-Johnson, accused INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu of failing to perform his constitutional duty. He said the commission had uploaded the names of candidates of other political parties but deliberately excluded those of the Labour Party.

“The duty of INEC has nothing to do with the leadership of a political party. Labour Party conducted primary elections in the FCT and in other by-election areas. But up till now, only names of candidates from other parties have been uploaded. Ours are nowhere to be found,” the youth leader said.

He called on INEC to “save Nigeria from calamity” and “do the needful” by uploading the names of candidates elected under the Abure-led leadership.

Also speaking, the Sokoto state Labour party chairman, representing the North West, Abdurrahim Chindo, said the affected candidates went through all legal processes in line with INEC guidelines and therefore deserve to have their names reflected.

“These are people who went to the INEC portal, saw the legitimate leadership of the party, bought nomination forms and participated in primaries. They fulfilled all necessary requirements,” he said. “What INEC is doing by excluding their names is wrong and illegal.”

Also, the Chairman of the Labour Party in Enugu State, Dr. Casmir Uchenna Agbo, urged INEC to respect the constitution, the Electoral Act, and internal party democracy.

“INEC is not a political party. It is supposed to be impartial. The chairman must stop interfering in party leadership matters and simply carry out his mandate of conducting free and fair elections,” he said.

He added that denying Labour Party candidates access to the ballot was undemocratic and could erode public trust in the electoral process.

Responding to the protesters on behalf of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), National Commissioner Prof. Abdullahi Zuru assured the protesters that the commission remains committed to upholding the law and maintaining its independence in all electoral matters.

“I want to reassure the civil society through you, the Labour Party through you, and Nigerians as a whole that INEC remains independent and operates within the confines of the law, the legal framework that guides what we do,” he said. “And I will assure you that that is what we will continue to do.”

“Labour Party, the message you want me to take to the commission is that the list of elected candidates by the Labour Party under Abure as the authentic chairman should be uploaded, so that they can compete like every other party?”

“I have heard the message, and I believe I have heard it correctly because you have reaffirmed what you said yourself. And I have assured Nigerians once more that we are independent and we will ensure that what the voter, the Nigerian, sees is what obtains,” he added.

Daily Trust has reported late last week that National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, on Saturday, the party said it would challenge the action of INEC and ensure the names of its duly nominated candidates are uploaded.

According to the report, “The leadership of the Labour Party has frowned at the omission by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, of its candidates for the August 16, 2025 bye-election,” the statement read, adding that the omission is “unlawful, surprising and an abuse of power by the commission.”

The Labour Party insisted that as a registered political party, it retains the constitutional right to sponsor candidates for elections and accused INEC of overstepping its bounds.