STATEMENT FROM THE LABOUR PARTY
The leadership of the Labour Party has commended the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC for finally uploading its candidates data into the portal despite an initial attempt by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to deny them access to the portal.
The party however raised concern over INEC’s selective obedience to court proceedings and order, warning that democracy in Nigeria faces great danger if the present leadership of INEC is allowed to decide orders to obey or disobey.
The National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, Obiora Ifoh, in a statement wondered why INEC refused to obey a notice of appeal and motion for stay of execution lawfully filed by the Julius Abure led executive against a ruling of a Federal High Court which ruled in favour of Nenadi Usman’s interim executive.
According to the party’s spokesperson, “The position of the law is that once there is a motion for stay and a notice of appeal, all parties are expected to wait until the motion for stay is determined before any other actions are taken. But the case of Labour Party, INEC refused to observe that judicial principle and was in a hurry to obey that order.”
He noted that though it was good that INEC observed that judicial principle in the matter as regards to the NDC but quite unfortunate that it chose to turn a blind eyes to the case involving Labour Party.
“Why is INEC not following the rule of law, why is the commission embarking on selective obedience to Court judgement? It chooses orders to obey and the ones not to obey. The rule of law indicates that all judicial proceedings must be respected and that all court orders must be given equal treatment.
“We are saying this, not because we are against the treatment INEC meted to NDC or any other person for that, but against the background of our own circumstances. When the Federal High Court judgment that brought in Nenadi was given on the 21st of January, 2026, we immediately filed a notice of appeal, and motion for stay of execution, but on the 29th of January, INEC quickly obeyed court order, in spite of the notice of appeal and a motion of stay. INEC removed our name from the portal when the motion for stay and a notice of appeal were all pending. That on its own was illegal.
“Why we are bringing it to the public is because in the case of NDC, INEC gave its reason that because of the motion for stay and a notice of appeal, that it was compelled to upload the NDC. Why did the commission not apply the same principle to Labour Party?
“Secondly, if you recall, there was a Federal High Court order directing INEC that it should comply with the amended electoral act, that its timetable was not in consonant with the Electoral Act, INEC filed a notice of appeal and it refused to obey that order on the ground that the commission was on appeal.
“All of these put together, do we now say that INEC is unjustly targeting Labour Party, given the background that it was this same INEC that falsely orchestrated the crisis in the Labour Party when it alleged that the tenure of our executive has expired. When indeed, INEC was given the notice of the convention and a report was given to the commission after the convention as required by the law, and, the CTC was issued to the party. But in spite of all these, the commission still came up to say that the tenure had expired. INEC deliberately waited till June when the tenure was deemed to have expired before it raised the issue.
“We are raising this question because when it happened to Labour Party people were quiet, thinking that it will not get to them but an injury to one should be an injury to all. It must be noted that what they allowed to stay today will definitely hunt others tomorrow.”
Sign:
Obiora Ifoh
National Publicity Secretary
Labour Party
01/07/2026
