By-elections: INEC risking nullification of results by excluding our candidates, LP warns

The Julius Abure-led faction of the Labour Party (LP) warned on Tuesday that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) risked having the results of the August 16 bye-elections nullified if it proceeded without the participation of LP candidates.

The party urged INEC to immediately publish the names of its candidates and ensure that the party’s logo is included on the ballot paper for the elections.

INEC had omitted the names of LP candidates from its list, a development that prompted a protest march to the commission’s Abuja headquarters last week.

The candidates had emerged from primaries conducted by the Abure-led National Working Committee (NWC) amid a leadership crisis within the party.

However, the LP stated on Tuesday that it had taken the matter to court to challenge the decision, warning that the exclusion of its candidates could significantly affect the credibility of the polls.

“The leadership of the Labour Party has warned that if the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) goes ahead to conduct the August 16, 2025 bye-election without publishing the names of its candidates and ensuring the appearance of its logo on the ballot, it will seek the nullification of the election in line with the provisions of the law.

“The party has also called on well-meaning Nigerians to prevail on the Prof. Mahmood Yakubu-led INEC to respect the Nigerian Constitution and the Electoral Act by carrying out its duties as prescribed by law, and to avoid wasting taxpayers’ money.

“It accused INEC of working for interests that are anti-democratic,” the National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Obiora Ifoh, said in a statement in Abuja.

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According to the LP, under the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022, “any political party excluded from participating in an election is expected to approach the court for remedy.”

The party added, “INEC is gambling with the huge resources of the country being spent on conducting the bye-election scheduled for August 16, 2025.

“We will not be helpless, as the law provides adequate remedies for any act or omission by the commission that shortchanges a political party or damages its image.

“A political party is expected to guard its image and reputation jealously, and the Labour Party will not take lightly any conduct by any agency or regulatory body intended to tarnish its reputation.”

The party questioned whether INEC was protecting certain interests by proceeding with elections that could ultimately be rendered void.

“One wonders what interest INEC is protecting that would make it throw the entire country into an unnecessary crisis and incur such colossal financial waste.

“By virtue of the Supreme Court decision delivered on April 4, 2025, the court stated that issues of leadership are internal affairs of the party. Going by the party’s internal mechanism, the Labour Party held a convention on March 27, 2024, in Nnewi, which produced the current leadership led by Barrister Julius Abure. One wonders what the problem is with INEC.

“INEC, under Prof. Yakubu, must respect the decisions of both the Supreme Court and the leadership of the Labour Party,” the Abure-led LP said.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE