Labour Party’s Rejects Court Ban on Lagos LG Poll Participation
Labour Party’s Rejects Court Ban on Lagos LG Poll Participation
The Julius Abure-led faction of the Labour Party has condemned a recent ex-parte order issued by the Federal High Court in Ikeja, which barred the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) from accepting its candidates for the upcoming local government elections.
The restraining order, issued by Justice M.A. Savage in response to a suit filed by Mr. Oluwasegun Sekonu (ID/9334GCM/2025), prevents LASIEC from processing any nomination or election materials from the Abure-led group, pending further court proceedings.
In reaction, the faction’s Lagos State Legal Adviser, Tracy Amadigwe-Dike, dismissed the ruling as baseless and “legally expired,” arguing that Sekonu lacked the authority to file such a suit since he is not a recognised member of the Labour Party.
According to Amadigwe-Dike, the nomination of party candidates is an internal affair protected under party autonomy. She cited a Supreme Court judgment from April 4, 2025 (SC/CV/56/2025), which established that such matters are beyond the jurisdiction of the courts.
She further asserted that Sekonu holds no official status within the party—neither as a candidate, exco member, nor financial member—making his legal standing void.
The faction insisted that the party’s 2024 national convention, held in Nnewi and chaired by Abia State Governor Alex Otti, remains valid and unchallenged. It added that INEC recognises the Abure-led executive as the party’s legitimate leadership.
The group therefore called on LASIEC to uphold democratic norms by recognising its candidates and respecting the political independence granted to parties under Nigerian law.
