The Independent National Electoral Commission has said there is no valid court order instructing it to upload the names of Labour Party candidates for the February 21, 2026, Federal Capital Territory Area Council election.
The commission said this in response to a protest by some Labour Party supporters at its headquarters in Abuja on Monday, over claims that the party was excluded from the election.
Making its position clear, INEC, in a statement on Wednesday, said the problem stemmed from a prolonged leadership crisis within the Labour Party, which has been before the courts since 2024.
According to INEC, the Supreme Court, in April 2025, ruled that the tenure of the Barrister Julius Abure-led National Executive Committee of the party had expired, a decision the commission said it has continued to uphold.
INEC added that despite the judgment, the Abure-led faction went ahead to conduct primaries for elections, including the FCT Area Council poll, actions which the commission said lacked legal backing.
The electoral body disclosed that the Labour Party had filed several suits in different courts seeking an order compelling INEC to issue access codes for uploading its candidates.
INEC said an interim order granted by an FCT High Court sitting in Life Camp in December 2025 had since lapsed and was not extended, stressing that there is currently no subsisting court order mandating the commission to act.
“The matter is still pending before the courts, and INEC will continue to respect the rule of law and the judicial process,” the commission stated.
INEC reaffirmed its commitment to the Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022, and its guidelines, adding that political parties must resolve their internal disputes in line with democratic principles and the law.
The statement was signed by Mrs Victoria Eta-Messi, Director of Voter Education and Publicity at the Independent National Electoral Commission.
The protest was organised by supporters of the Labour Party, who insisted that their candidates should be allowed to participate in the council polls.
