Politics

2023: Court Orders INEC To Accept Labour Party Candidates In 24 States

Published

3 years ago

February 2, 2023

Editor

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to accept the nomination of candidates of the Labour Party (LP) in 24 States of the federation for the purpose of the 2023 general elections.

The court ordered that the electoral body must accept the list of the candidates in the 24 states either manually or through its electronic nomination portal.

Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo in his judgments in 24 different suits brought before him by the Labour Party held that INEC violated sections 31, 33 and 36 of the Electoral Act 2022 in rejecting Labour Party candidates in the affected states on the ground of non functionality of its nomination portal.

The 24 states affected by the Court order are Kwara, Plateau, Nasarawa, Lagos, Kaduna, Oyo, Benue, Bauchi, Ebonyi and Ekiti States.

The rest are Katsina, Bayelsa, Niger, Rivers, Sokoto, Akwa Ibom, Gombe, Borno, Osun, Adamawa and Cross River states.

The Labour Party had last November conducted substitution nominations for its candidates who withdrew from the 2023 general elections in the affected states.

The withdrawals were communicated to INEC by the National Chairman and National Secretary of the party along with notification of the October 27 date to conduct substitution nomination primary elections.

However, at the point of uploading the fresh candidates names, INEC claimed that its nomination portal was faulty and declined to accept the candidates list manually promoting the 24 legal actions.

Justice Ekwo in the judgment said that the evidence of the Labour Party through exchanged letters with INEC in the nomination issue was credible and proceeded to attach probative value to it.

The judge held that the consequences of non-functional electronic nomination portal cannot be visited on the Labour Party.

Justice Ekwo agreed with the Labour Party that nomination and submission of candidates list cannot be rejected by INEC from any party untill 90 days to the general elections.

The judge said that the time the Labour Party sought to submit a list of its candidates in the 24 states was more than 90 days to the 2023 general elections, and hence, within time allowed by law.

Justice Ekwo held that INEC was bound to accept the Labour Party’s candidates list manually once its electronic nomination portal is faulty.

The judge subsequently ordered INEC to open its website for the purpose of allowing the Labour Party to submit a list of its candidates or accept the same manually with immediate effect for the purpose of the 2023 general elections.

Politics

JUST IN: Former APC National Youth Leader Dumps Party

Published

1 hour ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

Sadiq Abubakar, a former All Progressives Congress (APC) National Youth Leader has announced his decision to dump the ruling party.

Abubakar who disclosed this in an interview with Newsmen in Bauchi on Wednesday, explained that his decision was unconnected with the hardship faced by many Nigerian homes due to difficult policies and programmes by the APC.

According to him, the move was also driven by an objective of securing free and fair victory in future election primaries so as to continue to serve the people with strength and integrity.

He stated that his decision followed a series of consultations with family, friends, political associates and stakeholders saying this was after a careful reflection on recent developments within the party structure and internal arrangements.

“It is high time to adopt a party with a more clear vision and the compassion to help the common man.

“The APC processes are not working, the party is not just and fair. I’m leaving the party because there is no fairness in the electoral processes of the party as well as the consensus.

“And I know that they are not going to be fair in the forthcoming primaries but they will only use the power of incumbency.

“Also, what the party is doing to every family is becoming something else as it’s becoming too hard to put a three square meal on the table,” he said.

The Former APC National Youth Leader however, affirmed that he would soon reveal the new political party of his destination in no distant time.

Politics

Defection: Peter Obi Simply Looking For ‘Food Is Ready’ Party – Wike

Published

7 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, has taken a swipe on former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, over his recent defection.

Speaking during a media parley on Wednesday, Wike said Obi is looking for a ‘food is ready’ political party.

The minister said, “Obi was in APGA, he couldn’t build APGA. He went to Labour, he ran away again from Labour. All he’s looking for is food is ready political party.”

Recall that Obi and Rabi’u Kwankwaso, former presidential candidate of the New Nigerian Peoples Party, NNPP, on Sunday officially joined the NDC ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Politics

2027: Nobody Wants Fubara – Wike

Published

8 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has dismissed claims that there is widespread support for Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara to return in 2027.

Speaking during his monthly media parley on Wednesday in Abuja, Wike suggested that Fubara can’t claim to enjoy unanimous backing from the public.

He explained that the political crisis in Rivers State had earlier been addressed through the intervention of President Bola Tinubu, particularly during impeachment proceedings initiated against Fubara.

According to Wike, the President advised all parties to embrace peace, leading to the withdrawal of the impeachment move by the State House of Assembly after agreements were reached.

Wike, however, alleged that the governor failed to fully adhere to the terms agreed during the arbitration process.

Reacting to claims that the people were urging Fubara to seek re-election in 2027, Wike rejected the assertion, insisting that such narratives were misleading.

Wike maintained that appearing before the President for arbitration required respect for the outcome, noting that all parties were expected to uphold their commitments.

He said: “The President, intervened in the impeachment proceeding. I said withdraw, let their be peace. And the governor said, look, I’m ready for peace. Look, I’m no longer interested for this. I will not do this. The Assembly went and withdrew the impeachment.

“Having withdrawn the impeachment, he is now too smart on what you agreed before the President. It’s like when you go on arbitration.”

Wike continued, “This one is what I don’t like. Nobody wants anybody. Please, don’t tell me that. Excuse me.

You can go and tell that to the market people or children. Two years that people say he should come out. Who told you that?

“Which politician will say that I was sleeping they came and woke me? Even if people people come to wake you, can’t you say, no, I won’t do it. I’m not prepared for it.

“That you appeared before a President of the country on arbitration, the two parties on arbitration, and these people respected Mr. President, and have done their own part.”