Bye-Elections: Abure Threatens INEC; Warns Of National Crisis

The Labour Party, LP faction led by Julius Abure has threatened the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, not t go ahead with the upcoming bye-elections across the country without the names of the party’s candidates published alongside those of other political parties.

The faction said the election could be canceled if LP candidates are not allowed to contest the election, citing some occasions in the country when elections were canceled by the courts because some candidates were unjustifiably excluded.

The party made its position known in a statement signed by the factional National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, in Abuja, on Tuesday.

The magazine reports that INEC’s action may not be unconnected with the leadership crisis between Abure’s and another faction led by a former Minister of Finance, Nenadi usman.

But ahead the election on August 16, Ifo said the party will not hesitate to challenge the outcome of the election in court if its candidates are not allowed to participate in the election.

It warned the commission not to border to conduct the election which is likely to be declared invalid by the court of law, as the party will not hesitate to challenge the outcome to preserve its reputation.

According to him, “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,” he said.