Members of the Labour Party (LP) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Monday staged a protest at the National Headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), demanding the inclusion of their candidates in the upcoming Area Council elections in Abuja scheduled for February 21.
The protesters described their exclusion as a deliberate attempt to disenfranchise the party, despite a subsisting court order in their favour.
They vowed to occupy INEC’s premises until the commission complied with the court directive.
Addressing the protesters, INEC National Commissioner Abdullahi Abdul Zuru acknowledged the challenges posed by conflicting court orders but assured that the commission would act in accordance with the law.
“I am here on behalf of the commission to speak to you regarding the court order you have presented. I will personally hand it over to the chairman, and the commission will act on it,” he said.
Protesters carried placards with inscriptions such as “INEC, Upload Labour Party Candidates,” “Obey Court Order,” and “No Labour Party in the Ballot, No Council Election in FCT.”
Eyisi Okey Nwoke, LP Publicity Secretary in the FCT, insisted that Julius Abure remains the recognised national chairman of the party. “We are here peacefully.
INEC has excluded Labour Party candidates from the February Area Council elections, despite a court order instructing otherwise. This is an attempt to stifle our popularity, but it will not succeed,” he said.
Nwoke added that detractors had tried to infiltrate LP to create divisions, but the party resisted.
“In the FCT, it is Labour Party. There are no factions here,” he said.
Princess Licia Igbe, Chairman of LP in the North Central Zone, called on INEC to comply with the court order.
“We are exercising our constitutional right to protest. Labour Party candidates must be uploaded to the ballot. INEC cannot disenfranchise Nigerians or undermine democracy,” she said.
The spokesperson noted that INEC, as a commission, has never deliberately disobeyed a court order.
“Challenges have arisen due to conflicting court orders, but the commission acts on the prevailing order,” he explained, adding that decisions are taken collectively by the commission and not unilaterally.
