The controversy emerged following a Supreme Court judgment concerning the Labour Party, which many interpreted as a directive for immediate changes in the party’s national leadership.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has refuted claims that it has officially recognised a new leadership within the Labour Party (LP) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
In a statement issued Thursday by Rotimi Oyekanmi, Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, the Commission clarified its current stance and the status of party officials listed on its official website.
The controversy emerged following a Supreme Court judgment concerning the Labour Party, which many interpreted as a directive for immediate changes in the party’s national leadership.
SaharaReporters in April 2025 reported that the Supreme Court threw out the judgment of the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which had earlier affirmed Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party.
A five-member panel of the apex court unanimously held that the appellate court had no jurisdiction to meddle in the party’s leadership tussle.
According to the justices, the matter was strictly an internal party affair, one that courts have no business adjudicating.
However, this led to widespread reports claiming INEC had reinstated Abure as the National Chairman of the LP and also made changes to the PDP's National Secretary listing.
But INEC stressed that the reports are "false and misleading," adding that no new decision has been taken regarding either the LP or the PDP.
The Commission emphasised that the names of LP’s national officers, including Abure, had been uploaded to its website in compliance with a prior court order, which is unrelated to the recent Supreme Court ruling.
Oyekanmi stated, “The reports also inferred that the Commission has restored a particular individual as the National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), referring to the listings on the Commission’s official website.
“However, the reports are false and misleading. The Commission has not made any decision in respect of either the LP or PDP.
“The names of the National Officers of the LP had previously been uploaded to our website following a court order, not related in any way to the latest judgement of the Supreme Court.
“In the same manner, the name of the National Secretary of the PDP on the same website was neither deleted nor reinstated.”
INEC YET TO MAKE A DECISION ON DISAGREEMENTS IN THE LABOUR PARTY
Our attention has been drawn to some media reports claiming that the Commission has recognised certain persons as the National Chairman and National Secretary of the Labour Party (LP). The reports also inferred…
— INEC Nigeria (@inecnigeria) May 8, 2025
INEC reaffirmed its commitment to due process, stating, “As a law abiding institution, the Commission is carefully studying the judgement of the Supreme Court on the Labour Party and will communicate its decision to the public in due course.”
The development comes amid ongoing internal crises within both the Labour Party and the PDP.
The LP has been embroiled in factional disputes over its national leadership for months.
The Supreme Court verdict effectively ended Abure’s claim to the Labour Party’s national leadership, throwing the party into further crisis.
Similarly, the PDP has faced legal battles and leadership tussles, particularly concerning its National Secretary position.