Members of the Labour Party (LP) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) staged a peaceful protest on Monday over the exclusion of their candidates from the February 21 Area Council elections ballot. The party described the omission as a deliberate attempt to disenfranchise their members despite a subsisting court order.
Protesters gathered at the National Headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), carrying placards reading: “INEC, Upload Labour Party Candidates,” “Obey Court Order,” and “No Labour Party in the Ballot, No Council Election in FCT.” They vowed to remain at the premises until the commission complied.
“We are here because INEC, which is supposed to be an independent conductor of elections, has decided to exclude the Labour Party from the February Area Council elections,” said Eyisi Okey Nwoke, LP FCT Publicity Secretary.
“There is a court order that they must upload the Labour Party on the ballot. They have not done so to date. We are demanding that INEC must upload candidates of Labour Party now.”
Nwoke further accused detractors of trying to infiltrate LP and undermine the party, adding that in the FCT, LP remains undivided and dominant.
“They want to spoil our party, and we resisted it. Nothing for any other political party. It is Labour Party, and that is why they have ganged up,” he said.
Princess Licia Igbe, LP Chairman for the North Central Zone, called on INEC to respect the court order, emphasizing citizens’ constitutional right to vote.
“We are civilised Nigerians exercising our right to protest. INEC cannot kill our democracy. We have a right to vote and a choice of political party. Nobody can stop anyone from joining the party they want,” she said.
Responding, INEC National Commissioner Abdullahi Abdul Zuru acknowledged the protest and explained that conflicting court orders sometimes complicate compliance.
“I assure you that I will personally hand over the court order to the chairman, and the commission will definitely act on this,” he said.
“We have never disobeyed court orders. However, when conflicting orders exist, the commission must act collectively. No individual commissioner, including the chairman, can make a unilateral decision.”
The Labour Party insisted it will continue to press for its candidates’ inclusion ahead of the elections, citing the February 21 polls as a test of INEC’s commitment to fairness and transparency.