Labour Party: INEC derecognises Abure faction, rejects list of candidates for bye-elections

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has excluded all candidates put forward by Julius Abure’s faction of the Labour Party (LP) and those of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) from the upcoming nationwide bye-elections slated for August 16, 2025, as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) council elections.

The move, widely viewed as a setback for the Abure-led National Working Committee (NWC), has drawn sharp criticism from the faction, which labelled the decision “illegal” and an “abuse of power.”

In contrast, the Senator Nenadi Usman-led faction welcomed INEC’s decision, describing it as consistent with the Supreme Court ruling delivered on April 4, 2025.

According to the final list of candidates released by INEC, none of the names submitted by Abure’s group or the SDP were included.

Reacting to the development, the National Publicity Secretary of Abure’s faction, Mr. Obiora Ifoh, maintained that the party has the constitutional right to sponsor candidates in elections.

“The party is also aware that the INEC has no powers to either stop it from sponsoring candidates nor cherry-pick elections where it deems fit for our party to field candidates. It is on record that no court in Nigeria, including the Supreme Court, has derecognised the present leadership of the Labour Party. It is also a fact that the April 4, 2025 judgment of the Supreme Court ruled only on the lack of jurisdiction of the lower court and Court of Appeal,” Ifoh said.

He stressed that the court did not decide the substantive matter, noting that issues relating to internal party disputes are beyond the jurisdiction of any court.

“At no point did the Supreme Court empower INEC to interfere with the internal matters of the political party. We are by this statement asking INEC to enlist our duly nominated candidates for the August 16 by-election without further delay, and also refrain from interfering with the internal matters of the Labour Party. INEC cannot arrogate to itself the powers of the courts or give different interpretations to a clear judgment of the apex court,” he added.

Meanwhile, Senator Nenadi Usman’s camp hailed the electoral commission’s stance as a positive step toward upholding the law.

Speaking through her Senior Special Assistant on Media, Ken Asogwa, Usman said: “Though it’s unfortunate that the Labour Party’s candidates are missing on that list, it’s heartwarming to see that INEC is now beginning to give effect to the judgment of the Supreme Court delivered on April 4, 2025, which affirmed Senator Nenadi Usman as the authentic chairman of the Labour Party. Therefore, we urge the INEC as a responsible institution to take further steps by officially recognising Senator Usman as the valid chairman of the party.”

Sources revealed that Abure’s faction had already been excluded from INEC’s quarterly meeting with political parties. None of the primaries organised by his camp were monitored by INEC officials—an essential condition for validating party primaries and their candidates.

INEC had earlier maintained that Abure’s tenure as National Chairman expired in June 2023.

A former treasurer of the party, Oluchi Opara, said the Supreme Court ruling clarified that Abure and his NWC no longer hold the legal mandate to act for the party, including presenting candidates for elections.

Opara described INEC’s decision as a turning point for the party:
“The exclusion of Abure’s candidates is a significant development for the Labour Party and Nigeria’s democratic process. It sends a clear message that INEC will not tolerate attempts to circumvent legal stipulations or undermine the credibility of elections.

The Labour Party leadership, now operating under recognised structures under the leadership of Senator Nenadi Usman, commends INEC for its resolute action in this regard. This decision not only upholds the rule of law but also protects the integrity of the electoral process, ensuring that the will of the people is accurately represented. We strongly urge Abure to desist from grandstanding and respect the legal and institutional frameworks governing the party and Nigeria’s electoral system. His persistence in acting outside his capacity threatens to erode the hard-earned trust and goodwill the Labour Party has built over the years.”

(THISDAY)