The Labour Party has instituted legal action at the Federal High Court, Abuja, challenging what it describes as its wrongful exclusion from the forthcoming Enugu North Senatorial District by-election scheduled by the Independent National Electoral Commission for 20 June 2026.
The suit follows the party’s complaint that it was denied access to INEC’s nomination portal, preventing it from uploading the details of its candidate despite what it insists was full compliance with all statutory requirements and electoral guidelines.
The by-election became necessary following the death of Senator Okey Ezea of the Labour Party, who represented Enugu North Senatorial District until his passing on 18 November 2025. According to the party, it formally notified INEC on 11 May 2026 of its plan to conduct its primary election in line with the commission’s timetable.
The Labour Party stated that it held its senatorial primary on 25 May 2026, where Amb. Simon Ejike Eze emerged as its consensus candidate in a process it described as well-attended and fully representative of the six local government areas in the senatorial district.
However, the party alleged that despite conducting its primary and submitting required notifications, it was unable to upload its candidate’s particulars before the 2 June 2026 deadline due to what it termed administrative obstruction by INEC officials.
A central point of contention is the alleged failure of the Enugu State Elections and Party Monitoring (EPM) officer to transmit the report of the party’s primary, reportedly on the grounds that he was unavailable to observe the exercise. The Labour Party described the justification as untenable, arguing that the absence of an official cannot invalidate a duly conducted party primary or nullify the party’s constitutional rights.
The party further maintained that the Electoral Act does not make INEC’s physical presence a condition for the validity of internal party primaries, insisting that its obligations were fully met upon proper notification of the commission.
While expressing confidence in the leadership of Prof. Joash Amupitan, the Labour Party urged the commission to investigate the conduct of its officials in Enugu State and take disciplinary action where necessary. It warned that administrative lapses or negligence by officials should not be allowed to disenfranchise political parties or distort the electoral process.
The party argued that excluding it from the by-election amounts to a denial of political participation in a contest triggered by the death of one of its sitting senators, describing the situation as both unjust and prejudicial to its supporters in Enugu North.
The Labour Party has therefore asked the court to grant judicial redress, while calling on its members and supporters across Enugu State and the country to remain calm, law-abiding, and peaceful pending the outcome of the case.
