Members of the Labour Party (LP) in the Federal Capital Territory took to the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja on Wednesday, protesting the continued exclusion of their candidates from the commission’s portal ahead of the February 2026 Area Council elections.
Led by Mr Peter Ugwu, the party’s FCT Chairman, the group described INEC’s failure to reflect LP’s nominated candidates as unjustified and obstructive to their preparations for the polls.
He said the party had complied with all requirements, including the conduct of primaries, and could not understand why its candidates were still missing from the official list.
“We, in the FCT, conducted primaries and elected our candidates for this election. Unfortunately, while the names of candidates from other political parties are available on INEC’s portal, ours have yet to appear. INEC should resolve this issue without further hesitation,” Ugwu said.
He explained that the demonstration was organised to make a direct appeal to the INEC National Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, urging swift intervention to avoid further complications.
“We are appealing to INEC to act promptly, so we can participate fully alongside other political parties and contribute to a credible and successful election,” he added.
Also present at the protest were Mrs Success Onyeze, the FCT Women Leader, and Hon. Kingsley Okeke, the LP aspirant for the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) chairmanship seat. Both expressed dismay over the omission, despite what they insisted were transparent and credible primaries held by the party.
“We know the Labour Party as a peaceful and law-abiding political movement. That is why we are here, to respectfully request that Prof Yakubu do the right thing,” Onyeze said.
“Barrister Julius Abure remains the recognised national chairman of the Labour Party, and we are appealing for fairness. Our candidates deserve to be reflected on the INEC list so they can represent the people.”
The party also voiced concern over what it described as attempts to sideline its presence in the FCT political space, cautioning the electoral commission against giving in to external influence.
“It is clear that the Labour Party has significant grassroots support in the FCT. We are here to insist that our constitutional rights be respected. The Labour Party is duly registered and lawfully recognised, and our candidates must be given equal standing,” one of the demonstrators stated.
INEC has yet to issue a formal response to the protest.
