The Labour Party (LP) has issued a staunch warning to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the bye-election to take place on Saturday 16 August, 2025.
The ‘Papa, Mama and Pikin’ Party warned, if the country’s electoral body goes on to conduct the bye-election without the names of its candidates published, as well as, its logo on the ballot, “it will seek the nullification of the election in line with the provision of the law”.
According to a Statement by the Party titled ‘Bye-election: Exclude our Party and risk nullification of poll, Labour Party advises INEC’, signed by Obiora Ifoh, National Publicity Secretary, Labour Party, on Tuesday 12 August, 2025: “The leadership of the Labour Party has advised that if the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC goes ahead to conduct the August 16, 2025 bye-election without publishing the names of its candidates, and ensuring that its logo appears on the ballot, it will seek the nullification of the election in line with the provision of the law.
“The party has also called on well meaning Nigerians to prevail on the Prof Mahmood Yakubu led INEC to respect the Nigeria Constitution and the Electoral Law by discharging its duties as specified by the laws of the land and avoid wasting tax payers money. It accused INEC of working for interests that are anti democratic.
“In a statement by the National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, Labour Party said that by the electoral Act 2022, any political party which is excluded from participating in any election is expected to approach the court for remedy.
“INEC is gambling with the huge resources of the country which are being expended in the conduct of the bye-election that is scheduled to hold on the 16 of August, 2025.
“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 political party or put its image in disrepute.
“A political party is expected to guard its image and reputation jealously and Labour Party will not take any conduct by any agency or regulatory body intended to rubbish its reputation lightly.
“One wonders what interest INEC is protecting that will make it throw the entire country into unnecessary crisis and incurring such a colossal financial waste.
“By virtue of the Supreme Court decision delivered on the April 4, 2025, the court stated that the issues of leadership is an internal affairs of the party and going by the internal mechanism of the party, the party has held a convention on the 27th of March 2024 at Nnewi, which produced the current leadership as led by Barrister Julius Abure. One wonders what the problem is with INEC.
“INEC under Prof. Yakubu must respect the decisions of both the Supreme Court and the leadership of the Labour Party.”
