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By Tracy Moses
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has clarified reports suggesting that the Labour Party would be denied access codes for the 2026 Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council Elections, scheduled for Saturday, 21st February, 2026.
In a statement signed by the Director, Voter Education and Publicity, Mrs. Victoria Eta-Messi, on Wednesday, 7th January, 2026, the Commission addressed concerns following a protest by some Labour Party supporters at INEC’s headquarters in Abuja on Monday, 5th January. The protesters alleged that the party was being denied the necessary codes to upload the names of its candidates.
The controversy over access codes stems from a prolonged leadership dispute within the Labour Party that began in 2024.
The dispute culminated in a Supreme Court judgment delivered on 4th April, 2025, in Appeal No. SC/CV/56/2025 (Usman v. Labour Party), which ruled that the tenure of the Barrister Julius Abure-led National Executive Committee had expired. Despite the Supreme Court ruling, the Abure-led faction reportedly went ahead to conduct primaries for both the August 16, 2025 bye-elections and the upcoming FCT Area Council Elections, leading to multiple legal challenges.
The Commission further recalled that the Abure-led faction challenged its exclusion from the bye-elections at the Federal High Court, Abuja (Suit No. FHC/ABJ/1523/2025, Labour Party v. INEC).
The court’s judgment, delivered on 15th August, 2025, dismissed the suit, upheld the Supreme Court decision, and reaffirmed that Barr. Julius Abure was no longer recognised as the party’s National Chairman.
According to INEC, the Labour Party subsequently filed several suits in different courts seeking orders to compel the Commission to issue access codes for the FCT elections. These include matters before the Nasarawa State High Court, Akwanga Division; the Federal High Court, Abuja; and the FCT High Court, Jabi Division, where a motion has been adjourned to 15th January, 2026, for hearing.
While the Jabi Division matter remains pending, the Labour Party instituted another suit at the FCT High Court, Life Camp Division, where an interim ex parte order was granted on 16th December, 2025, directing INEC to upload the names of its candidates.
The court, however, explicitly stated that the order would lapse after seven days unless extended. INEC promptly filed a defense challenging the competence of the suit, and the interim order lapsed on 23rd December, 2025, without extension.
Consequently, INEC emphasised that there is presently no subsisting court order compelling it to issue access codes to the Labour Party for the FCT Area Council Elections. The Commission reaffirmed its commitment to respect the judicial process and await the final determination of pending cases.
Mrs. Eta-Messi reiterated that INEC remains committed to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), the Electoral Act, 2022, and its Regulations and Guidelines. She stressed that political parties must conduct their internal affairs in accordance with democratic principles and the rule of law.