The Labour Party (LP) said it was in support of the National Headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) decision to reject the list of the party’s candidates for the forthcoming nationwide bye-elections submitted to it by the Julius Abure-led faction.
In a statement signed by Ken Asogwa, Senior Special Adviser on Media to the party’s Interim National Chairman, Senator Nenadi Usman, the party distanced itself from yesterday’s protest at the INEC headquarters in Abuja over the omission of the party’s candidates from the list of contestants for the coming elections.
The statement read in part, “The attention of the leadership of the Labour Party has been drawn to an invitation circulating in certain quarters regarding a purported protest scheduled to be held on August 6, 2025, at the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“This protest is allegedly being organised by some unknown individuals purportedly operating under the banner of the Labour Party. We wish to categorically state that the said protest is not sanctioned by the Labour Party.
“The organisers are unknown to the party’s leadership, and the action lacks the approval and backing of the party”.
The Labour Party, therefore called on INEC to release the official list of candidates submitted by its current leadership and urged the Commission to update its portal and official platforms to reflect the leadership structure recognized by the court.
The party further urged security agencies to take appropriate action against those organizing the planned protest.
“In light of the foregoing, we therefore call on all security agencies to take note: the persons planning to stage a protest at INEC headquarters on 6th August 2025 are not representatives of the Labour Party.
“They are political impersonators and mischief-makers and should be treated as such. We call for their immediate arrest and prosecution in accordance with the law,” the statement read.
The statement cautioned that anyone involved in organizing or promoting the protest is acting without the party’s authorization and should be considered an “impostor.”
“The public is hereby put on notice that anyone participating in or promoting this protest is doing so without the consent of the Labour Party and should be seen as an impostor,” it added.
The party also pointed to INEC’s recent dismissal of a list of candidates reportedly submitted by former chairman Julius Abure and his faction for the upcoming national bye-elections and local council polls.
According to the Labour Party, INEC recently rejected the illegitimate list of candidates for the upcoming national bye-elections and local council elections submitted “by the former chairman of the party, Julius Abure and his unlawful group.”
“The Labour Party received that decision with relief, knowing that INEC, as a responsible electoral umpire, would eventually proceed to accept and publish the authentic list submitted by the current, lawful leadership of the party,” he added.