…INEC Rejects Labour Party Candidate List for FCT Polls
ABUJA – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially slammed the door on the Julius Abure-led faction of the Labour Party (LP), declaring that his leadership has been legally terminated by the Supreme Court.
In a decisive statement issued on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, the electoral umpire maintained that it would not recognize any candidates submitted by Abure’s team for the upcoming Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council Elections, scheduled for February 21, 2026.
The Final Verdict on Leadership
According to INEC, the protracted leadership battle within the Labour Party reached its finality following the Supreme Court judgment in Appeal No. SC/CV/56/2025 (Usman v. Labour Party) delivered on April 4, 2025.
The Commission clarified that the apex court ruled that the tenure of the National Executive Committee (NEC) led by Julius Abure has expired. This ruling effectively stripped Abure of any legal authority to act as the National Chairman or conduct party primaries.
“The Supreme Court has decisively settled the leadership tussle… the tenure of the National Executive Committee led by Mr. Julius Abure had expired,” INEC stated, emphasizing that any administrative actions taken by the faction after that date are null and void.
The FCT Election Standoff
The statement follows a protest at the INEC headquarters in Abuja, where supporters of the faction expressed grievances over the exclusion of their candidates. However, INEC countered that the Abure-led group ignored the law by proceeding with primaries for both the August 2025 bye-elections and the upcoming FCT polls.
The Commission highlighted that the faction’s attempt to challenge their exclusion in lower courts had failed. Specifically, the Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed their suit (FHC/ABJ/1523/2025) on August 15, 2025, upholding INEC’s decision to sideline the faction.
Expired Court Orders
While the Abure-led team sought several injunctions across various jurisdictions—including Nasarawa and the FCT—to force INEC to grant them “access codes” for candidate uploads, the Commission noted that they currently have no legal grounds to stand on.
Addressing a specific interim order from the FCT High Court, Life Camp Division, INEC explained:
“The order consequently expired on December 23, 2025, leaving no subsisting court order for INEC to act upon. As it stands, there is presently no valid court order compelling the Commission to issue access codes or upload candidates for the Labour Party.”Commitment to Rule of Law
INEC reiterated that while the matter remains sub judice (under judicial consideration), it will only act in accordance with final court determinations. The electoral body urged political parties to adhere strictly to democratic principles and the Electoral Act 2022.
Current Status of FCT Polls:
- Election Date: Saturday, February 21, 2026.
- Labour Party Status: No valid candidates recognized from the Abure-led executive.
- Legal Standing: INEC awaiting final determination of pending suits.
