The National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Julius Abure, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to release the access code required for uploading the party’s candidates ahead of the forthcoming Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections.
Abure made the appeal on Tuesday during the quarterly consultative meeting between the electoral commission and leaders of registered political parties in Abuja.
The National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, Obiora Ifoh, disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja after a closed door meeting of INEC with political parties.
The meeting, presided over by the acting INEC Chairman, Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu, marked her first major engagement with political party leaders since assuming office following the expiration of Prof. Mahmood Yakubu’s tenure.
During the session, Agbamuche-Mbu reportedly assured the Labour Party delegation that the commission would “look into the matter,” promising to review the party’s demand for the upload of its FCT candidates.
Abure, who attended the meeting alongside the National Secretary, Umar Ibrahim, was recognised as the legitimate national leader of the Labour Party — a position recently reaffirmed by the courts after months of internal leadership tussle that had threatened to split the opposition platform.
While congratulating Agbamuche-Mbu on her appointment, Abure commended her leadership style and expressed confidence that her legal background would help restore institutional integrity to the commission.
He said, “Once lawyers are in the saddle of leadership, it reduces, and sometimes brings to an end, impunity and injustice to the system. Once lawyers are in charge, institutions are built and democracy continues to grow. This is exactly what has played out in the affairs of the party leadership.”
The LP Chairman also lauded INEC for recognising his leadership in line with the court’s pronouncement and urged the commission to act swiftly to enable the Labour Party to fully participate in the FCT elections.
According to him, “The party followed due process, issued notices to INEC, conducted primaries, and the list is with INEC. We therefore urge the commission to release the code to us so that we can upload our candidates and join in the ongoing campaign for the Area Council election.”
Expressing optimism about the commission’s future performance, Abure said he believed INEC under Agbamuche-Mbu would “do better, perform better, creditably, effectively, constitutionally, and in accordance with the rule of law.”
He added that such adherence would strengthen Nigeria’s democracy and lay the foundation for credible elections in 2027.
The meeting was attended by the national chairmen and secretaries of all 18 registered political parties, alongside INEC national commissioners
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