The Labour Party has strongly disassociated itself from a protest scheduled for Wednesday, the 6th of August, 2025, at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters, describing the organisers as “impostors” and “political impersonators.”
In a statement signed by Ken Asogwa, Senior Special Adviser on Media to the Interim National Chairman, Senator Nenadi Usman, the party clarified that it has no link to the planned action.
“The attention of the leadership of the Labour Party has been drawn to an invitation circulating in certain quarters regarding a purported protest scheduled to be held on August 6, 2025, at the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
This protest is allegedly being organised by some unknown individuals purportedly operating under the banner of the Labour Party. We wish to categorically state that the said protest is not sanctioned by the Labour Party.
The organisers are unknown to the party’s leadership, and the action lacks the approval and backing of the party,” the statement read partly.
The party warned that anyone who chooses to join or push the protest does so without its endorsement and should be regarded as an “impostor.”
“The public is hereby put on notice that anyone participating in or promoting this protest is doing so without the consent of the Labour Party and should be seen as an impostor,” the statement added.
It also referenced INEC’s rejection of candidate names recently submitted by Julius Abure, whom the party no longer recognises as chairman.
According to the statement, “INEC recently rejected the illegitimate list of candidates for the upcoming national bye-elections and local council elections submitted by the former chairman of the party, Julius Abure and his unlawful group.”
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The party said it welcomed that decision, confident that the electoral body will soon publish names approved by its current leadership.
“The Labour Party received that decision with relief, knowing that INEC, as a responsible electoral umpire, would eventually proceed to accept and publish the authentic list submitted by the current, lawful leadership of the party,” it added.
The party also urged INEC to stick to a Supreme Court judgment delivered on the 4th of April, 2025, which confirmed that Abure’s tenure expired the 8th of June, 2023.
“We urge INEC to remain steadfast and continue to disregard the desperate antics of these individuals whose tenures expired since 8th June 2023, and whose expiration was expressly affirmed by the Supreme Court in its judgement of April 4, 2025,” the statement read.
Calling for full recognition of its current leadership, the party asked INEC to update its portal with the valid candidate list and leadership structure.
It further called on security agencies to act. “In light of the foregoing, we therefore call on all security agencies to take note: the persons planning to stage a protest at INEC headquarters on 6th August 2025 are not representatives of the Labour Party.
“They are political impersonators and mischief-makers and should be treated as such. We call for their immediate arrest and prosecution in accordance with the law,” the party demanded.