The Labour Party has filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja, challenging its exclusion from the forthcoming Enugu North Senatorial District by-election scheduled for June 20, 2026, by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
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‎The by-election became necessary following the death of the party’s senator for the district, Okey Ezea, who passed away on November 18, 2025.
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‎In a statement issued by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Ken Eluma Asogwa, the Labour Party maintained that it complied with INEC’s timetable and electoral guidelines by notifying the commission on May 11, 2026, of its intention to conduct a senatorial primary.
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‎According to the party, the primary election was successfully held on May 25 across the six local government areas that make up the senatorial district, with Ambassador Simon Ejike Eze emerging as the consensus candidate.
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‎Despite fulfilling the required procedures, the party alleged that it was denied access to INEC’s nomination portal, preventing it from uploading its candidate’s details before the June 2 deadline.
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‎The statement added that several attempts were made to resolve the issue through official correspondence and protests to the electoral commission, but those efforts failed to produce a satisfactory outcome.
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‎Labour Party insisted that it met all legal and procedural obligations under the Electoral Act and INEC regulations and questioned the basis for its exclusion from the election.
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‎The party also expressed concern over reports that the Head of Elections and Party Monitoring in Enugu State declined to transmit the report of its primary election because he was reportedly out of town and unable to monitor the exercise.
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‎Describing the explanation as unacceptable, the party argued that it should not suffer the consequences of the absence or administrative shortcomings of INEC officials.
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‎According to the party, once proper notice of a primary election has been given, it is the responsibility of the electoral commission to ensure adequate monitoring arrangements. It maintained that the validity of a duly conducted primary cannot be invalidated because an official failed to attend.
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‎The Labour Party further argued that the Electoral Act only requires political parties to notify INEC of their primaries and does not make the physical presence of commission officials a condition for the legality of the exercise.
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‎While reaffirming its confidence in INEC’s leadership and the democratic process, the party called on the commission to investigate the conduct of its officials in Enugu State and sanction anyone found to have acted improperly.
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‎It also warned that preventing it from presenting a candidate in an election necessitated by the death of one of its serving senators would undermine democratic participation and deny voters a wider choice of candidates.
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‎The party expressed confidence that the judiciary would deliver justice and urged its members and supporters to remain peaceful and law-abiding while the court determines the matter.
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Labour Party Drags INEC to Court Over Exclusion from Enugu North By-Election
