The Abuja High Court has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to accept all candidates of the Labour Party (LP) fielded for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) area council election scheduled to hold in February 2026.

Justice J. O. E. Adeyemi-Ajayi gave the ruling on the ex parte motion for interim injunctions filed by the LP and moved by its lawyer, Christian Elom.

Mr Adeyemi-Ajayi ordered INEC to grant the LP access code to enable it to upload the names and particulars of its nominated candidates for the poll.

The judge also ordered the commission to upload the names and particulars of the LP’s nominated candidates for the election and publish the same at the respective six area councils for public scrutiny within 48 hours pending the hearing of an existing motion on notice filed by the party.

The certified true copy (CTC) of the enrolled order marked M/16037/2025, made on December 16, was sighted on Thursday.

Mr Elom submitted in the supporting affidavit that the party chose to approach the court after INEC allegedly failed to publish the names of its candidates for the February 2026 council election as required, despite being duly notified.

The judge, in the enrolled order, said, “An interim injunction is hereby granted, directing the defendant (INEC) to grant access code to the claimant/applicant (LP) to upload the names and particulars of its nominated candidates for the FCT area council election scheduled to be held in February 2026 by the defendant within 48 hours pending the hearing of the motion on notice.

“An interim injunction is hereby granted directing the defendant to upload the names and particulars of the claimant/applicant’s nominated candidates for the FCT area council election and publish the same at the respective six area councils for public scrutiny within 48 hours, pending the hearing of the motion on notice.

“This interim injunction is hereby made this day upon application ex parte, which shall abate seven days from today unless extended before the abatement of the order.”

Mr Adeyemi-Ajayi thereafter granted an accelerated hearing in the case and adjourned the matter until January 27, 2026, for the hearing of the motion on notice.

The LP, in its affidavit, averred that it gave the notice of its primary elections to the defendant (INEC) within the time frame provided by the law.

The party added that after its primary elections, and within the 180 days provided by the law, it submitted the list of the candidates who emerged from the primaries it conducted and whom it proposes to support at the election to INEC in the prescribed forms.

The LP argued that INEC is duty-bound, within seven days of receipt of the particulars of the candidates, to publish them in the constituency in which the candidates intend to contest the election.

The party added that the law mandates the defendant (INEC) to, at least within 150 days before the day of the election, publish, by displaying at the relevant office or offices of the defendant and on the defendant’s website, a statement of the full names and addresses of the candidates standing nominated by the claimant.

It accused INEC of allegedly failing to perform these statutory responsibilities.

(NAN)