Why Labour Party can’t nominate candidates for FCT election

Nigeria’s electoral commission, INEC, says it has refused the Labour Party’s request to nominate candidates for the upcoming Federal Capital Territory (FCT) council elections because it would be subjudice.

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The commission stated this in a statement on Tuesday by its Director, Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi, in response to a protest by some members of the opposition party.

It explained that the LP instituted multiple lawsuits against it regarding access to upload names of candidates, all of which are still pending in court.

It listed the four lawsuits as the one at the Nasarawa State High Court, Akwanga Division, marked NSD/LF.84/2024; another at the Federal High Court Abuja, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2110/2025; the FCT High Court, Jabi Division marked CV/4792/2025; and yet another at the FCT High Court, Life Camp Division, marked CV/4930/2025.

According to INEC, the court in Life Camp granted an interim order on 16 December, directing the commission to upload the names of the LP candidates for the FCT area council election.

It, however, said it filed its defence and the interim order, which lapsed on 23 December, was not extended.

“Accordingly, there is presently no subsisting Court Order for INEC to act upon,” the statement said.

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“Given that the matter is subjudice, INEC will continue to respect the sanctity of the judicial process and await the final determination of the pending cases.”

Protest

Some members of the party had on Monday staged a protest at the electoral commission’s headquarters, requesting access to upload the names of candidates for the area council elections scheduled for 21 February.

The protesters claimed there was a subsisting court order, which the electoral commission had failed to comply with.

However, INEC maintained that there is no subsisting court order for the commission to act upon.

Multiple lawsuits

INEC said it first disallowed uploading of candidates by the party last year because the primary election was conducted in August by the Julius Abure faction of the party, which had been sacked months before in April.

The commission explained that the Supreme Court had, in a judgment in April 2025, ruled that the tenure of Mr Abure-led National Executive Committee (NEC) had expired. Yet, it went ahead to conduct the primaries four months later.

Unsatisfied with INEC’s decision, the Abure-led faction filed a lawsuit at the Federal High Court in Abuja, asking it to compel INEC to allow it to upload its candidates.

In its ruling, the court affirmed the Supreme Court’s earlier ruling that Mr Abure was no longer recognised as the national Chairperson of the party and upheld INEC’s decision to exclude the party from the FCT bye-election.

“Thereafter, the Labour Party filed multiple suits against INEC in different courts, all seeking orders compelling INEC to grant an access code for the upload of its candidates for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council Election scheduled for Saturday, 21st February, 2026,” the statement said.

More lawsuits

The party then filed another lawsuit at the Nasarawa State High Court, Akwanga Division. When the matter at the court got stalled, the LP approached the Federal High Court, Abuja, seeking an order compelling INEC to issue access codes to its candidates, and the matter is still pending before the Court.

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The party again approached the FCT High Court, Jabi Division, to file a motion seeking an order compelling INEC to issue access codes to its candidates for the FCT area council election.

However, the matter was adjourned to 15 January for the hearing of the motion, after INEC filed its reply.

The LP then filed yet another lawsuit at the FCT High Court, Life Camp Division, seeking the same relief.

According to INEC, the court in life camp granted an interim order on 16 December, directing the commission to upload the names and particulars of the LP candidates for the FCT area council election.

“The court expressly stated that the order would lapse after seven days unless extended,” INEC said.

“Upon being served with the originating processes, INEC promptly filed its defence, challenging the competence of the suit and the jurisdiction of the court.

“The interim Order consequently lapsed on 23rd December, 2025 and was not extended. Accordingly, there is presently no subsisting Court Order for INEC to act upon.”