By Chimdiogo Amuh 

ABUJA — The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has clarified the reasons for its refusal to issue access codes to the Labour Party (LP) for the upload of candidates for the forthcoming Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council election, insisting that there is no subsisting court order compelling it to do so.

The election is scheduled to hold on Saturday, February 21, 2026.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by its Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Mrs. Victoria Eta-Messi, the Commission said the clarification followed a protest by some Labour Party supporters at the INEC headquarters in Abuja on Monday, January 5, 2026. The protesters had alleged the exclusion of LP candidates from the FCT Area Council election and demanded the issuance of access codes for candidate upload.

INEC said the situation arose from the Labour Party’s protracted internal leadership crisis, which has persisted since 2024. The Commission recalled that the dispute culminated in a Supreme Court judgment in Appeal No. SC/CV/56/2025 (Usman v. Labour Party), delivered on April 4, 2025, which unequivocally held that the tenure of the Barrister Julius Abure-led National Executive Committee had expired.

According to INEC, despite the apex court’s decision, the Abure-led faction went ahead to conduct primaries for the August 16, 2025 bye-election nationwide and the FCT Area Council election, prompting legal confrontations with the Commission.

INEC explained that the faction subsequently approached the Federal High Court, Abuja, in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/1523/2025 (Labour Party v. INEC), challenging its exclusion from the bye-election. However, judgment delivered on August 15, 2025 dismissed the suit and reaffirmed the Supreme Court’s position that Barr. Abure was no longer recognised as the National Chairman of the party, thereby upholding INEC’s decision.

The Commission disclosed that the Labour Party thereafter instituted multiple suits in various courts, all seeking orders compelling INEC to issue access codes for the upload of candidates for the FCT Area Council election. These include Suit No. NSD/LF.84/2024 before the Nasarawa State High Court, Akwanga Division, and Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/2110/2025, which is still pending before the Federal High Court, Abuja.

INEC further revealed that the party also filed Suit No. CV/4792/2025 at the FCT High Court, Jabi Division, along with a motion seeking similar relief. The matter was adjourned to January 15, 2026, after the Commission filed its response.

Rather than await the court’s determination, INEC said the Labour Party filed another suit, Suit No. CV/4930/2025, at the FCT High Court, Life Camp Division. Although an interim ex parte order was granted on December 16, 2025, directing INEC to upload the names and particulars of LP candidates, the court expressly stated that the order would lapse after seven days unless extended.

The Commission noted that the interim order expired on December 23, 2025 and was not extended, stressing that there is currently no valid court order in force directing it to issue access codes to the Labour Party.

INEC maintained that, with the matter still before the courts, it would not take any action capable of undermining the judicial process. It reiterated its commitment to due process, the Constitution and the electoral law, noting that it remains guided by the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Electoral Act 2022, and its Regulations and Guidelines.

The Commission added that it will continue to hold political parties accountable to democratic standards and the rule of law in the conduct of their internal affairs.