INEC RESPONDS TO LABOUR PARTY LOCKOUT IN FCT
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By: Fasasi Hammad
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has clarified its decision to withhold access codes from the Labour Party for uploading candidates’ names for the February 21, 2026 Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections.
In a statement on Wednesday, INEC’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Mrs. Victoria Ewa-Messi, attributed the decision to the party’s prolonged leadership crisis, which has sparked multiple court cases.
The clarification comes after Labour Party supporters staged a protest at INEC headquarters in Abuja, accusing the Commission of deliberately excluding the party and demanding the release of access codes needed for candidate registration. INEC described the protest as unnecessary, noting that the matter is already sub judice.
According to the Commission, the internal crisis was addressed by a Supreme Court ruling on April 4, 2025, which declared that the tenure of the National Executive Committee led by Julius Abure had expired. Despite this, the Abure-led faction proceeded with primaries for the August 16, 2025 by-elections nationwide, including the FCT Area Council elections.
INEC said that several suits filed by the party to compel the release of access codes were either dismissed or remain pending. While a High Court in Abuja granted an interim ex parte order on December 16, 2025, directing INEC to upload Labour Party candidates, the order was valid for only seven days and was not renewed, lapsing on December 23, 2025.
“The interim order lapsed and was not extended. As such, there is currently no subsisting court order for INEC to act upon,” the Commission stated.
INEC reaffirmed its commitment to due process, pledging to respect judicial determinations and await the final resolution of all pending cases before taking further action.
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