INEC says Labour Party has no candidate for Edo by-election

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has clarified that the Labour Party (LP) will not be participating in the upcoming by-election in Edo State to fill vacant seats in the National Assembly.

The poll is scheduled for the Edo Central Senatorial District and Ovia Federal Constituency, following the emergence of Senator Monday Okpebholo and Hon. Dennis Idahosa as Governor and Deputy Governor.

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According to the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Edo State, Prof. Anugbum Onuoha, only nine parties have submitted valid nominations: Action Alliance (AA), African Democratic Congress (ADC), All Progressives Congress (APC), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Democratic Party (ADP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).

Although the LP previously announced Paul Okojie as its Edo Central candidate, Prof. Onuoha said the party failed to officially inform the commission or conduct a monitored primary.

“From our records, the Labour Party and others didn’t invite us for their primaries. Some others invited us, but we got there, and their doors were locked. We could not find anyone,” he said.

Speaking during a press conference in Benin City, Prof. Onuoha assured the public of INEC’s readiness, stating that the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) had been fully configured and non-sensitive materials deployed.

He revealed that 101,617 PVCs remain uncollected out of the 719,504 registered voters across the seven affected local government areas.

In response to calls by the PDP for his redeployment, Onuoha insisted that the commission’s structure safeguards against individual bias.

“Even if you bring your brother to INEC, he can’t compromise elections because of the way the commission is structured,” he stated.