BREAKING: Court clears road for LP to participate in Saturday's bye-elections

Justice Mustapha A. Ramat of the Nasarawa state High Court has granted an interlocutory order directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to grant its Access Code to the Julius Abure and Alhaji Umar Farouk Ibrahim to upload the names and particulars of their nominated candidates for the bye elections and the FCT Area Council elections as scheduled by the INEC.

The non listing of INEC candidates for the August 16 bye-elections has adversely affected the fortunes of the party in the elections scheduled in some parts of the states, Nationwide.

The INEC refusal had made its 2023 presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi to campaign for candidates of the coalition political party, the African Democratic Congress (ADC), particularly in his native Anambra state, but said he supports the LP candidate in the governorship election slated for November this year.

Reacting to the development, the

National Publicity Secretary of the Julius Abure-led faction of the LP, Party, Obiora Ifoh, applauded the court's decision, saying that the order which will right the many wrongs meted to the Abure-led faction of the party.

Ifo said, “We received this intervention with a heart full of gratitude. We are however hoping that INEC as a law abiding institution, will do the needful by formally publishing the names of our nominees for the bye election and the FCT council elections without further delay.

“We are however not happy that our candidates have not been giving equal opportunity and time to campaign like other political parties. As it stands now, our candidates, due to reasons not of theirs were prevented from campaigning. 

“This is clearly a systemic route orchestrated by INEC to perpetually prevent Labour Party and their candidates from favourably participating in elections. 

“We urge our candidates not to be undaunted or dismayed by these glaring limitations. Labour Party is a household name. 

“We expect nothing but victory in all these contested offices. We also call on members of the party in the affected states to once more show their indomitable and ‘never die spirit’ to return our candidates.”