A group of protesters stormed the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja on Wednesday, demanding that the Labour Party (LP) be allowed to participate in the upcoming nationwide bye-elections.
The protesters, said to be civil society groups backing the Julius Abure-led faction of the LP, arrived at the INEC office around 11:00 a.m., carrying banners and placards with strong messages such as “INEC, who is using you against LP,” and “Tell INEC to obey court orders.”
They accused INEC of excluding LP candidates from the bye-elections and called on the commission’s chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to uphold democracy by respecting court rulings.
However, in a surprising twist, the Labour Party’s Interim National Chairman, Senator Nenadi Usman, distanced the party from the protest. In a statement released through her media aide, Ken Asogwa, she described the protesters as “impostors” and “political impersonators,” insisting that the party had no hand in organising the demonstration.
The ongoing internal crisis within the Labour Party has created deep divisions, with the Abure-led faction and the Usman-led interim leadership both claiming legitimacy. The crisis has raised concerns over the party’s participation in future elections if not resolved.
INEC is yet to make an official statement on the protest or clarify its stance on the inclusion of LP candidates in the bye-elections.
