INEC Stands Firm as Labour Party’s Access Code Bid Hits Roadblock Amid Leadership Tangle
Oru Leonard
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has issued a statement regarding claims by the Labour Party seeking access codes to upload candidates for the 2026 FCT Area Council Election. According to INEC, the Labour Party is embroiled in internal leadership disputes, with the Supreme Court ruling in April 2025 that the tenure of the Abure-led National Executive Committee had expired.
Despite this, the Abure-led faction conducted primaries for the August 2025 bye-election and the FCT Area Council Election, prompting INEC to exclude the Labour Party from participating. The party has filed multiple suits against INEC, seeking orders to grant access codes for uploading candidates, but these suits are still pending.
INEC notes that an interim court order granted on December 16, 2025, directing the commission to upload Labour Party candidates’ names, has lapsed and was not extended. The commission reiterates its commitment to the Constitution, Electoral Act, and Rule of Law, and will await the final determination of pending cases.
