Another controversy is brewing between the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Labour Party ahead of the August 16 bye-elections.
INEC’s final list of nominated candidates reportedly excludes all names submitted by the Julius Abure-led faction of the party.
The commission cited the Supreme Court ruling of April 4, 2025, which held that Abure ceased to be National Chairman as of June 8, 2023.
According to INEC, the primaries conducted by his camp were not monitored, and are therefore invalid under the Electoral Act, 2022.
But the Labour Party disagrees.
“It is on record that no court in Nigeria, including the Supreme Court, has derecognised the present leadership of the Labour Party,” said Obiora Ifoh, the party’s National Publicity Secretary.
“INEC Has No Power to Dictate Our Internal Affairs” — Labour Party
In a statement on Sunday, Ifoh described the exclusion of its candidates as “unlawful, surprising, and a clear abuse of power by INEC.”
He accused the commission of overstepping its legal bounds.
“INEC lacks the power to stop us from sponsoring candidates or cherry-pick elections where it allows us to participate,” the statement read.
The party insists that the April Supreme Court decision only addressed the jurisdiction of lower courts—not the substance of the leadership dispute.
“The apex court ruled that internal party matters should be settled using the mechanisms outlined in the party’s constitution,” Ifoh said.
He stressed that INEC has no legal authority to act as judge in matters involving internal party wranglings.
“INEC cannot arrogate to itself the powers of the courts or give a different interpretation to a clear judgment of the Supreme Court,” he added.
“We Will Not Be Intimidated”
Ifoh warned that “INEC’s actions, if not reversed immediately, will be legally challenged.”
He said the Labour Party had built its name over 23 years and will not be intimidated, harassed, or “ridiculed by any institution.”
The party maintained it is not for sale and accused unnamed politicians of using public institutions to disrupt its momentum.
It described INEC’s actions as “a catastrophic and colossal loss of scarce monetary resources” if not corrected.
The party urged its members to stay calm and remain vigilant.
“We are calling on INEC to enlist our duly nominated candidates without delay,” Ifoh said.
He added that the party would “do everything possible within the law” to ensure their candidates contest in the August 16 bye-election and all future polls.
“Labour Party members must continue to pray for a time when our electoral process will finally be right,” he concluded.
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