FCT Council Polls: Why INEC Is Keeping Labour Party Candidates Out

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has clarified why candidates linked to the Barrister Julius Abure-led faction of the Labour Party (LP) will not take part in the February 21, 2026 FCT Area Council elections.

In a statement issued Wednesday, INEC said the faction lacks valid authorisation to upload candidate details, citing unresolved court cases tied to the party’s leadership crisis. The statement was signed by the Commission’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Mrs. Victoria Eta-Messi.

INEC explained that the Labour Party’s internal dispute has remained in court since 2024, with a decisive Supreme Court judgment delivered on April 4, 2025, ruling that the tenure of the Abure-led National Executive Committee had expired. Despite the ruling, the faction reportedly went ahead to conduct primaries for both bye-elections and the FCT Area Council polls.

The Commission noted that multiple legal attempts have since been made to compel INEC to grant access codes for candidate uploads. These suits were filed across different courts, including the Federal High Court and FCT High Court, but none has resulted in a subsisting order directing INEC to act.

INEC also addressed a recent ex parte order granted by the FCT High Court, Life Camp Division, which temporarily directed the Commission to upload LP candidates. According to INEC, the order expired after seven days and was not renewed.

“As it stands, there is no valid court order compelling INEC to take any action,” the Commission said.

INEC added that it will continue to respect the judicial process while the cases remain unresolved, stressing its commitment to the Constitution, the Electoral Act, and its own guidelines. The Commission urged political parties to resolve internal disputes lawfully and in line with democratic principles.