Commission cites leadership crisis for withholding codes
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has clarified its decision to withhold access codes from the Labour Party for the upcoming Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections.
In an official statement released on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, the commission explained that the move was necessitated by the party’s prolonged leadership crisis and conflicting legal battles. According to Mrs. Victoria Ewa-Messi, the Director of Voter Education and Publicity, the internal instability has made it difficult for the commission to recognize a unified list of candidates.
The clarification came on the heels of a massive protest by Labour Party supporters at the INEC headquarters in Abuja. The demonstrators accused the electoral umpire of deliberate exclusion and demanded the immediate release of the digital access codes required to upload candidate details for the February 21, 2026, polls. INEC, however, dismissed the protest as unnecessary, maintaining that its actions are guided by subsisting judicial interpretations regarding the party’s hierarchy.
INEC pointed to a Supreme Court judgment from April 4, 2025, which ruled that the tenure of the National Executive Committee (NEC) led by Julius Abure had officially expired. Despite this ruling, the Abure-led faction reportedly proceeded to conduct primaries for several by-elections and the upcoming FCT council polls. The commission stated that honoring submissions from a leadership whose tenure is legally void would compromise the integrity of the electoral process.
Legal status of the interim court order clarified
The electoral commission further addressed the existence of an interim court order that had previously favored the Labour Party. On December 16, 2025, a High Court in Abuja granted an ex parte order directing INEC to allow the party to upload its candidates for the FCT elections. However, INEC noted that this specific order was valid for only seven days and has since lapsed without being extended by the presiding judge.
“The interim order lapsed on December 23, 2025, and was not extended. As such, there is currently no subsisting court order for INEC to act upon,” the commission clarified. INEC emphasized that it cannot be compelled to grant access based on an expired judicial directive. The commission remains adamant that it will await the final determination of all pending substantive suits before taking any further administrative steps.
The Labour Party’s legal team has reportedly made several attempts to secure a permanent injunction against INEC, but many of these suits have either been dismissed or are currently trapped in the appellate system. The commission’s stance is that the matter remains sub judice, meaning it is still under judicial consideration and should not be resolved through public protests. This legal deadlock has left many Labour Party aspirants in the FCT in a state of uncertainty just weeks before the election.
Impact on the February 21 Area Council elections
The exclusion of the Labour Party from the candidate upload portal significantly alters the political landscape for the FCT Area Council elections. With the February 21 date approaching rapidly, the window for administrative corrections is closing, posing a risk to the party’s participation. Supporters of the party fear that a total lockout would disenfranchise millions of voters who lean toward the “Obidient” movement within the capital territory.
INEC has reassured the public of its commitment to due process and fairness to all registered political parties. The commission maintained that its primary responsibility is to ensure that all participating entities are led by legally recognized executives. This latest crisis is seen as a continuation of the fractionalization that has plagued the Labour Party since the 2023 general elections.
As the situation develops, political analysts are watching to see if a late-hour judicial intervention will provide the Labour Party with a lifeline. For now, the commission remains firm in its refusal to issue the access codes until the leadership question is settled by a superior court of record. The outcome of this standoff will be a critical factor in determining the competitiveness of the upcoming local government polls in Abuja.
