Labour party court victory Over INEC as Nasarawa court orders release of access codes, granting LP rights to upload candidates for FCT and bye-elections
Labour Party court victory Over INEC has brought renewed optimism to the Julius Abure-led faction of the Labour Party (LP) after a Nasarawa State High Court ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to grant the party access codes to upload its candidates’ names for the forthcoming FCT and bye-elections.
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The court ruling, delivered by Hon. Justice Mustapha A. Ramat on July 23, 2025, in suit number NSD/LF.84/2024, directed INEC to recognize Barrister Julius Abure and Alhaji Umar Farouk Ibrahim as the authentic leadership* of the party and to provide them with the necessary access to participate in the electoral process.
Reacting to the development, Obiora Ifoh, National Publicity Secretary of the Abure-led faction, described the ruling as a powerful and timely intervention aimed at correcting “the many wrongs” inflicted on the party’s legitimate leadership.
“We received this intervention with a heart full of gratitude,” Ifoh said. “We now expect INEC, as a law-abiding institution, to publish our candidates’ names without further delay.”
Ifoh lamented the disenfranchisement of Labour Party candidates, saying they were denied equal opportunity to campaign due to INEC’s refusal to grant access codes in time.
“This is clearly a systemic route orchestrated by INEC to prevent Labour Party from participating effectively in elections,” he added, referencing a similar incident in Ondo State where access was granted only 24 hours before a governorship poll.
Despite the obstacles, Ifoh encouraged LP candidates to remain resilient and undeterred, urging party members to rally support and demonstrate their “indomitable and never-die spirit.”
INEC’s continued failure to publish LP candidate names for the upcoming bye-elections and early 2026 FCT Council elections remains a point of contention.
The Nasarawa court’s order now forces the commission to comply or risk contempt proceedings.
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This court victory over INEC is being seen as a potential turning point for the party’s embattled faction, restoring confidence in the judicial process and possibly clearing the way for full participation in Nigeria’s electoral process.
