Labour Party Drags INEC to Court Over Exclusion from Enugu North Senatorial By-Election.

The Labour Party has taken the Independent National Electoral Commission to the Federal High Court in Abuja over what it described as its “unlawful exclusion” from the forthcoming Enugu North Senatorial District by-election scheduled for June 20, 2026.

The legal battle comes amid rising political tension in Enugu State following the vacancy created by the death of Senator Okey Ezea on November 18, 2025.

In a strongly worded statement issued by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Ken Asogwa, the Labour Party accused INEC of denying it the opportunity to participate in the crucial senatorial contest despite allegedly complying with all constitutional and electoral requirements.

According to the party, it officially notified INEC on May 11, 2026 of its intention to conduct a primary election in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act and the commission’s guidelines for the by-election.

The party stated that its primary election was successfully conducted on May 25, 2026, producing Ambassador Simon Ejike Eze as its duly nominated candidate for the Enugu North Senatorial seat.

However, the Labour Party alleged that after the primary was concluded, INEC failed to grant it access to the commission’s nomination portal, thereby preventing the upload and submission of its candidate’s credentials before the deadline.

The party maintained that several efforts were made to resolve the issue before the close of nominations on June 2, 2026, but all attempts proved unsuccessful.

The Labour Party further blamed some officials of INEC in Enugu State for the development, accusing them of failing to properly transmit the report of the party’s primary election to the appropriate authorities.

According to the statement, the controversy surrounding the primary report was linked to the alleged absence of a designated INEC monitoring officer on the day the exercise was conducted.

The party argued that it fulfilled every legal obligation required under the Electoral Act and INEC’s operational guidelines, insisting that no political party should be denied participation in an election due to what it termed “administrative failures” on the part of electoral officials.

Describing its exclusion from the by-election as unfair, unconstitutional and politically damaging, the Labour Party said it remains a major stakeholder in the Enugu North Senatorial District and therefore has every legitimate right to field a candidate for the election.

The party also expressed disappointment over the handling of the matter by some INEC officials in the state, while at the same time stating that it still has confidence in the leadership of the electoral commission at the national level.

It called for a thorough investigation into the conduct of the officials involved and demanded appropriate sanctions against anyone found culpable in the alleged failure that led to its exclusion.

The Labour Party urged its supporters and members across Enugu State to remain calm and law-abiding, assuring them that the judiciary would fairly address the matter.

The party said it is optimistic that the court will protect its electoral rights and ensure justice ahead of the highly anticipated senatorial by-election.