The Labour Party (LP) FCT Chapter has urged INEC to comply with a court order by uploading its candidates for the Feb. 26 Area Council election.
The demand came on Monday during a protest at INEC headquarters over the exclusion of LP candidates from the commission’s recently released area council lists.
FCT LP Chairman for the North Central Zone, Princess Licia Igbe, said the protest was prompted by INEC’s refusal to follow the court order.
Igbe called on INEC to immediately upload the party’s candidates to its dedicated portal for the FCT area council election.
“We are demanding what is due to us as members of the Labour Party in the FCT.
“We are here demanding that LP candidates be uploaded because a court order covers the upcoming FCT elections on Feb. 21,” she said.
Igbe, puzzled by the omission, warned INEC not to disfranchise LP in the election.
She urged INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, to act with integrity and gain Nigerians’ trust ahead of the 2027 general election.
Eyisi Nwoke, LP FCT Publicity Secretary, described the exclusion as an attempt to block the party from the upcoming area council election.
Nwoke claimed some oppose LP participation because of its growing popularity among FCT residents.
“No one will stop LP from contesting. If INEC fails to upload our candidates, we will enforce our rights using the law.
“We are law-abiding and peaceful. The people want INEC to obey the court order and upload our candidates,” he said.
Nwoke dismissed claims of LP factions, saying alleged administrators were not registered members and lacked LP membership cards.
“There are no factions. Julius Abure is the recognised LP National Chairman. INEC always uploads candidates he submits in all states,” he stated.
Addressing the protesters, INEC National Commissioner, Abdullahi Zuru, assured that their petition and court order would be submitted to the commission.
Zuru affirmed that INEC has never disobeyed court orders and will act on all valid directives, despite challenges from conflicting rulings.
“When court orders conflict, we follow the prevailing order,” Zuru explained.
Protesters carried placards reading: ‘INEC Chairman Upload Labour Party Candidates,’ ‘Prof Amupitan Show Your Integrity,’ ‘INEC Obey Court Order,’ among others.
