From Victor Osula, Abuja
The Labour Party lost its bid to rejoin the forthcoming Area Council elections in the Federal Capital Territory on Wednesday after the Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed its suit.
The court rejected the challenge against the Independent National Electoral Commission regarding the exclusion of party candidates from the polls scheduled for February 21, 2026.
Justice Peter Lifu, in his judgment, declined to compel INEC to accept and publish the list of candidates.
The judge described the case as statute barred and outside the jurisdiction of the court. THEWILL reports that the long standing leadership crisis within the Labour Party remains the primary reason for the refusal of the commission to recognize the candidates submitted by rival factions.
The plaintiffs had approached the court in suit FHC/ABJ/CS/2110/2025, alleging that the commission unlawfully excluded their nominated candidates when the final list of contestants was released in September 2025.
The party stated it had written to the chairman of the commission on September 8 and October 2, 2025, to protest the omission of its candidates and logo, but did not receive a response.
The party argued that without judicial intervention, it would be unjustly prevented from participating in the FCT Area Council elections. However, Justice Lifu held that the matter fell within the scope of pre-election disputes under the 1999 Constitution as amended.
He noted that while the suit was filed on October 7, 2025, the cause of action actually arose on September 22, 2025, when the commission formally published the final list excluding the party.
The judge explained that Section 285 of the Constitution requires such suits to be filed within 14 days of the occurrence of the cause of action. He found that the plaintiffs failed to meet this mandatory timeline.
Additionally, the judge observed that a similar suit involving the same parties was pending before a High Court in Nasarawa State, which he suggested gave the impression of forum shopping.
As a result, the court dismissed the suit and refused all the reliefs sought against the commission. This development leaves the party without representation in the upcoming local government elect
