The Julius Abure- led faction of Labour Party LP, has expressed delight over a court order asking the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to give it the access codes to upload the names of its candidates for the forthcoming Federal Capital Territory elections.
National Publicity Secretary of the faction, Party, Obiora Ifoh, applauded the Nasarawa State High Court’s intervention describing it as a welcome development and “an order which will right the many wrongs meted to the authentic leadership of the party.”
He said, “We received this intervention with a heart full of gratitude. We are however hoping that INEC as a law abiding institution, will do the needful by formally publishing the names of our nominees for the bye election and the FCT council elections without further delay.
“We are however not happy that our candidates have not been giving equal opportunity and time to campaign like other political parties.
“As it stands now, our candidates, due to reasons not of theirs were prevented from campaigning.
“This is clearly a systemic route orchestrated by INEC to perpetually prevent Labour Party and their candidates from favourably participating in elections.
“Recall that in Ondo state, INEC granted Labour Party’s governorship candidate access code barely 24 hour to the election. This has become a norm and we will not take such treatment any longer.
“Finally, we urge our candidates not to be undaunted or dismayed by these glaring limitations. Labour Party is a household name.
“We expect nothing but victory in all these contested offices. We also call on members of the party in the affected states to once more show their indomitable and ‘never die spirit’ to return our candidates.”
The court had ordered INEC to among other things: accord exclusive recognition to Barrister Julius Abure and Alhaji Umar Farouk Ibrahim as the authentic leadership of the Labour Party.
The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has decried the delay by INEC in uploading the list of its new leadership on the commission’s website.
In his ruling in suit number: NO. NSD/LF.84/2024, on July 23, 2025, His Lordship, Hon Justice Mustapha A. Ramat of the Nasarawa state division granted an interlocutory order directing INEC to also grant its Access Code to Julius Abure and Alhaji Umar Farouk Ibrahim to upload the names and particulars of their nominated candidates for the bye elections and the FCT Area Council elections as scheduled by the INEC.
INEC has refused to publish the names of the nominated candidates by the Labour Party in a bye-election scheduled to hold on Saturday as well as the FCT council elections scheduled for early 2026.
