‘Exclude Us From By-Election, Risk Poll Nullification,’ LP Group Tells INEC

A Labour Party group has warned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that any attempt to exclude it from the forthcoming 16 August 2025 by-election will lead to the nullification of the exercise in line with the provisions of the law.

“If INEC goes ahead to conduct the by-election without publishing the names of our candidates and ensuring that our logo appears on the ballot, we will seek the nullification of the election in accordance with the law,” the LP group National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, said in a statement on Tuesday.

Ifoh also urged Nigerians to prevail on INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, to respect the Constitution and the Electoral Act by discharging his duties as required. It accused the commission of working “for interests that are anti-democratic” and wasting taxpayers’ money.

According to him, the Electoral Act 2022 provides that any political party excluded from participating in an election is entitled to seek redress in court.

“INEC is gambling with the huge resources of the country being expended on the by-election scheduled for 16 August,” he stated. “We are not going to be helpless as the law has provided adequate remedies for any act or omission by the commission that has shortchanged the party or put its image in disrepute.”

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He stressed that it would not tolerate any action by a regulatory body aimed at damaging its reputation, questioning “what interest INEC is protecting that will make it throw the entire country into unnecessary crisis and incur such colossal financial waste.”

Ifoh also referenced the Supreme Court’s decision of 4 April 2025, which affirmed that leadership issues are an internal affair of a political party.

He noted that, in line with internal processes, a convention was held on 27 March 2024 in Nnewi, which produced the leadership led by Julius Abure.

“INEC under Prof. Yakubu must respect the decisions of both the Supreme Court and the leadership of the Labour Party,” he added.