By Abiola Olawale
Dozens of civil society organizations and supporters of the unlawful Julius Abure-led faction of the Labour Party (LP) staged a protests at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday, demanding the inclusion of the party’s candidates in the upcoming August 16, 2025, bye-elections.
The demonstration was characterized by banners and placards with inscriptions like “INEC, who is using you against LP?” and “Mahmood, stop destroying democracy in Nigeria.”
The New Diplomat reports that INEC’s exclusion of candidates from the Abure-led faction stemmed from a Supreme Court ruling on April 4, 2025.
The commission cited this judgment, stating it did not monitor the faction’s primaries, rendering them invalid under the Electoral Act.
Obiora Ifoh, the National Publicity Secretary of the Abure-led faction, however condemned INEC’s actions as “unlawful” and an “abuse of power.”
In a statement, Ifoh had emphasized that the Labour Party, as a registered political entity, is entitled to sponsor candidates under Nigeria’s Constitution and the Electoral Act 2022.
“INEC cannot arrogate to itself the powers of the courts or reinterpret a clear Supreme Court judgment,” he said, vowing legal action if the exclusion persists.
