The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has clarified why it has not released candidate-upload access codes to the Labour Party ahead of the February 21, 2026, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections.

According to the Commission, the decision is linked to unresolved leadership disputes within the party and multiple court cases still pending before the judiciary.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by INEC’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Mrs. Victoria Ewa-Messi, the electoral body said it could not proceed with the Labour Party’s candidate submission while the matter remains under legal contention.

Her explanation followed a protest earlier in the week, during which Labour Party supporters gathered at INEC’s national headquarters in Abuja. The protesters accused the Commission of deliberately sidelining the party from the upcoming polls and demanded the immediate release of the digital credentials required to upload candidates to INEC’s portal.

Addressing the allegations, INEC stressed that the issue is sub judice, noting that several lawsuits and conflicting court decisions continue to surround the party’s leadership and primary election processes.

“The Commission is mindful of the numerous pending litigations relating to the Labour Party’s leadership and the conduct of its primaries. Until these issues are conclusively resolved by the courts, INEC has no option but to maintain its present stance,” the statement said.

INEC further recalled that the party’s internal crisis reached a climax with a Supreme Court judgment delivered on April 4, 2025, which declared that the tenure of the National Executive Committee led by Julius Abure had elapsed.

Despite the ruling, INEC noted that the faction led by Abure went ahead to organise primaries for both the August 16, 2025, bye-election and the forthcoming FCT Area Council elections.

The Commission also confirmed that it had been served with an interim ex parte order by a High Court in Abuja on December 16, 2025, directing it to upload Labour Party candidates. However, INEC explained that the order expired after seven days and was not renewed.

“The interim order lapsed on December 23, 2025, and was not extended. As it stands, there is no valid court directive requiring the Commission to act,” Ewa-Messi stated.

Reaffirming its commitment to due process, INEC said it would not take further steps regarding the Labour Party’s participation until all legal issues surrounding the party’s leadership and candidate selection are conclusively settled.

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“The Commission remains committed to the rule of law and will await final judicial determinations before taking any action,” the statement concluded.