The Labour Party (LP) has taken legal action at the Federal High Court in Abuja over what it described as its unjust exclusion from the upcoming Enugu North Senatorial District by-election scheduled for June 20, 2026 by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The senatorial seat became vacant after the death of Senator Okey Ezea of the Labour Party, who passed away on November 18, 2025.
Following INEC’s release of the timetable for by-elections across the country, including Enugu North, the Labour Party officially informed the commission on May 11, 2026, of its plan to hold its primary election on May 25, 2026.
At the primary, Ambassador Simon Ejike Eze emerged as the party’s consensus candidate.
However, the party says it is worried that despite following all required legal and procedural steps, it was not allowed to upload its candidate’s details on INEC’s nomination portal.
According to a statement signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Ken Eluma Asogwa, repeated efforts to resolve the issue—including official complaints and letters—did not yield any positive result before the nomination deadline closed on June 2, 2026.
The Labour Party insists it fully complied with all requirements under the Electoral Act and INEC guidelines in selecting its candidate.
It also criticised the explanation given by an INEC official in Enugu, who reportedly said he could not monitor the party’s primary because he was out of town on the day of the exercise.
The party described this reason as unacceptable, saying it raises serious concerns about how electoral duties are being handled.
LP argued that no political party should suffer because of an official’s absence or negligence, stressing that electoral processes must not depend on personal convenience.
The party further maintained that the Electoral Act only requires political parties to notify INEC about their primaries, which it said it duly did. It added that INEC’s physical presence is not a condition for the validity of a party primary.
While expressing confidence in INEC’s leadership under Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan, the Labour Party called for an immediate investigation into the actions of its officials in Enugu State, demanding accountability where necessary.
The party warned that denying it the chance to present a candidate in an election meant to replace its late senator would be unfair and would limit democratic choice for voters in Enugu North.