The Labour Party (LP) has filed a legal challenge at the Federal High Court in Abuja over what it calls the unjust exclusion of its candidate from the upcoming Enugu North Senatorial District by-election, scheduled for June 20, 2026. The party argues that despite meeting all legal and procedural requirements, INEC denied it access to upload its candidate’s nomination details on the official portal, effectively barring its participation in the election. This development follows the death of Senator Okey Ezea, the LP’s incumbent senator for the district, on November 18, 2025, which triggered the need for a by-election.
The Labour Party formally notified INEC on May 11, 2026, of its intention to hold a senatorial primary on May 25, 2026, to select a candidate for the by-election. At that primary, Ambassador Simon Ejike Eze emerged as the consensus candidate. The party maintains it adhered strictly to the Electoral Act and INEC’s regulations, including the requirement to notify the commission of its primary exercise. Despite this, INEC did not transmit the results of the primary to the national nomination portal, leaving the party unable to submit its candidate’s details before the June 2 deadline.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Ken Eluma Asogwa, stated that multiple formal protests and communications to INEC yielded no resolution. He highlighted that the head of Elections and Party Monitoring (EPM) in Enugu State cited his absence on the day of the primary as the reason for not transmitting the report. The Labour Party finds this justification unacceptable, arguing that an official’s absence should not invalidate a legally conducted party primary. The Electoral Act does not require INEC’s physical presence to validate a party’s internal election, and the party insists that its rights under the law have been violated.
The Labour Party emphasized that electoral integrity must not be compromised by individual negligence or incompetence. It called on INEC, under the leadership of Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan, to investigate the actions of its Enugu staff and take appropriate disciplinary measures. The party stressed that denying it the chance to field a candidate in an election meant to fill a vacancy caused by the death of its own senator would be a grave injustice. Such a decision would not only undermine the party’s constitutional rights but also deprive voters in Enugu North of a full democratic choice.
The Labour Party remains confident in INEC’s leadership and urges the commission to uphold fairness and transparency. The outcome of this legal challenge could set a precedent for how political parties are treated in future by-elections, especially when internal processes are conducted lawfully but face administrative roadblocks. The people of Enugu North deserve a fair and inclusive electoral process, and the resolution of this matter will be closely watched across Nigeria’s political landscape.
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