Labour Party has filed a lawsuit in the Federal High Court, Abuja, challenging the alleged wrongful exclusion of its candidate from the Enugu North Senatorial District by-election scheduled for June 20.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Ken Asogwa, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday in Abuja.
It was reported that the Enugu North Senatorial District seat became vacant following the death of the late Sen. Okey Ezea of the Labour Party on November 18, 2025.
Asogwa expressed concern that, despite complying with all statutory requirements and procedural guidelines, the party was denied access to upload its candidate’s details on INEC’s nomination portal.
“Up until the close of the submission window on June 2, the party made several efforts, including formal protests and correspondences to the commission, seeking resolution, but these efforts yielded no positive results,” he said.
The spokesman insisted that the party fulfilled all legal and administrative obligations required under the Electoral Act and INEC’s regulations during the nomination process.
He added that Labour Party found it difficult to understand the basis for its exclusion from an election in which it had a legitimate stake.
“It is both disturbing and deeply concerning that the head of Elections and Party Monitoring (EPM) in Enugu State reportedly justified his refusal to transmit the report of the Labour Party’s primary election on the grounds that he was out of town on the day the exercise was conducted.
“This excuse is untenable and raises serious questions about the discharge of official responsibilities.
“Labour Party cannot be made to suffer the consequences of an official’s absence, negligence, incompetence, or dereliction of duty.
“Electoral processes and the constitutional rights of political parties cannot be subjected to the personal circumstances of individual officers,” he stated.
Asogwa argued that if the officer was unavailable, it was the responsibility of INEC in Enugu to make alternative arrangements for monitoring and reporting the exercise.
According to him, INEC should not penalize a political party that has fully complied with statutory requirements.
He noted that the Electoral Act only requires political parties to notify INEC of their primaries, and the Labour Party had done so.
He emphasized that the legality and validity of the primary election could not be invalidated by INEC’s absence, as neither the Electoral Act nor INEC’s regulations make physical presence mandatory for conducting a party primary.
While expressing confidence in INEC under the leadership of Prof. Joash Amupitan, Asogwa called on the commission to investigate the actions of its staff in Enugu and take decisive action against any culpable individuals.
“Electoral institutions derive their legitimacy from public trust, and every effort must be made to protect the integrity of the electoral process.
“It would be a grave injustice for Labour Party to be denied the opportunity to present a candidate in an election to fill a vacancy caused by the death of one of its senators.
“Such an outcome would undermine the rights of the party and its supporters and diminish the democratic choices available to the people of Enugu North in the upcoming by-election.
“While placing confidence in the impartiality of the Nigerian judiciary, the party urges its members and supporters in Enugu North and across the country to remain calm while the courts decide on the matter,” Asogwa concluded.
