In a bold show of civil action and democratic defense, candidates of the Julius Abure-led Labour Party (LP), in alliance with members of various Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and party supporters, staged a peaceful protest on Wednesday, August 6, at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) National Headquarters in Abuja.
The protesters, arriving in several buses and undeterred by the early morning downpour, converged at the commission’s headquarters around 11:00 a.m. to demand the inclusion of Labour Party candidates in the upcoming August 16th, 2025 bye-elections scheduled to take place across the country.
Chanting songs of solidarity and holding placards with inscriptions such as:
🪧 “INEC, Who is Using You Against LP?”
🪧 “Mahmood, Stop Destroying Democracy in Nigeria!”
🪧 “Tell INEC to Obey Court Orders!”
The demonstrators called on INEC to comply with a valid court order recognizing Barr. Julius Abure as the authentic National Chairman of the Labour Party and to upload the names of validly nominated LP candidates to the electoral body’s portal.
Dr. Barry Avotu-Johnson, Deputy National Youth Leader of the Labour Party, addressed the crowd:
> “We are here to demand that INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, respect the court order which affirms Barr. Julius Abure as our legitimate National Chairman. We also urge INEC to upload the names of our duly nominated candidates. This is a call for justice and adherence to the rule of law — the cornerstone of democracy.”
Echoing similar sentiments, Mr. Peter Ugwu, LP representative from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), expressed concern over what he described as discriminatory treatment by INEC:
> “We conducted our primaries in accordance with the law. Yet, while other parties have their candidates listed on the INEC portal, ours remain excluded. INEC must correct this injustice immediately.”
Speaking on behalf of the participating CSOs, Mr. Peter Piper emphasized the broader implications of the issue:
> “This is not just about one party. It’s about the survival of democracy in Nigeria. An injury to one is an injury to all.”
Responding to the protest, INEC National Commissioner, Abdulahi Zuru, who represented the Commission’s Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, acknowledged receipt of the petition and promised that the group’s concerns would be forwarded to the appropriate authorities within the Commission.
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