LP Shut Out of FCT Polls as Leadership Crisis Deepens

Although the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) submitted a complete slate of 74 candidates — comprising 12 chairmanship and vice-chairmanship contenders and 62 councillorship aspirants — the validity of those nominations is now facing legal scrutiny.
In sharp contrast, the Labour Party (LP) has been excluded entirely from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) local government elections, following its unresolved leadership crisis.
The exclusion stems from a prolonged power struggle between the Julius Abure-led faction and the Nenadi Usman-led National Caretaker Committee, which is backed by the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and Abia State Governor Alex Otti.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has refused to recognise the national convention held in Nnewi that re-elected Abure, insisting that his tenure had already expired and that the convention lacked legal standing.
Although a court order reportedly directed INEC to issue access codes to enable the party upload its candidates, the commission has maintained that it only engages with party leadership recognised by law. As a result, the Labour Party was unable to upload any candidates before the deadline, effectively leaving it without representation in the FCT elections.
The development has further deepened uncertainty around the polls and highlighted how internal party disputes can directly affect democratic participation.