Labour Party protest erupts in Abuja as INEC is accused of excluding valid candidates from August 16 bye-elections, sparking legal and democratic concerns

Labour Party Protest erupted at the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja on Wednesday, as supporters and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) demanded the inclusion of party candidates in the upcoming August 16 bye-elections.

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Braving heavy rain, protesters displayed placards with strong messages: “INEC, who is using you against LP?” and “Tell INEC to obey court orders.”

The demonstration was sparked by INEC’s alleged refusal to upload Labour Party candidates’ names  despite a court ruling affirming Julius Abure as the party’s national chairman.

Dr. Barry Avotu-Johnson, LP’s Deputy National Youth Leader, stressed, “This is about justice and the rule of law. INEC must comply with court directives and list our candidates.”

Echoing this demand, Peter Ugwu, LP representative in the FCT, decried the unfair treatment, noting, “Other parties have their names listed. Why are ours missing?”

Civil society voices joined the Labour Party protest. Peter Piper, speaking for the CSOs, declared, “This is about safeguarding democracy. An injury to one is an injury to all.”

INEC’s National Commissioner, Abdullahi Zuru, addressed the protesters and promised to relay their grievances to the commission’s leadership.

The protest coincided with a sharp warning from the Northern Obidient Youth Assembly (NOYA), who accused INEC and political actors of manipulating candidate lists for profit and power.

NOYA’s Coordinator, Abdullahi Suleiman, described the situation as a “cash-and-court racket,” where only candidates with financial resources survive the judicial maze.

“Corrected names appear so late that fair participation becomes impossible,” he said, adding that internal party democracy is being eroded by deliberate tampering.

Suleiman called on the National Assembly to conduct a forensic audit into these manipulations and to trace any financial misconduct related to candidate list alterations.

He warned that failure to address these concerns could severely undermine the 2027 general elections and public trust in democratic institutions.

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The Labour Party protest, backed by both political and civil society stakeholders, has now become a lightning rod for broader calls for electoral reform and accountability.