The Labour Party (LP) has issued a vehement rebuttal to recent media reports claiming the party failed to meet the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) deadline for the submission of its presidential and vice-presidential candidates. In an official statement released on Tuesday by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Ken Eluma Asogwa, the LP dismissed the allegations as entirely “false, misleading and unfounded.” The party maintains that its administrative team operated well within the electoral framework, ensuring that all necessary documentation for its presidential, vice-presidential, and National Assembly hopefuls was lodged successfully before the commission’s portal became inaccessible.
According to the party’s timeline, the submission process was conducted in complete alignment with INEC’s official guidelines, with the candidate details successfully uploaded on July 10, 2026. This date predates the final closure of the nomination portal, which occurred on July 14, by four clear days. By providing this definitive window, the LP sought to dispel any notion that it had struggled with the submission process or required any last-minute extensions. The party leadership insists that the upload was completed without a single technical hitches, confirming their full compliance with the procedural requirements mandated by the electoral body.
A central point of contention for the Labour Party is the journalistic integrity of the reports circulating in the media. The statement took aim at the anonymous nature of the sources cited, specifically criticizing the reliance on an unnamed INEC official to substantiate the claims. The LP accused the media outlet in question of a significant breach of professional standards by failing to reach out to the party for verification or comment prior to publication. By neglecting this fundamental tenet of journalism, the party argues that the outlet prioritized sensationalism over accuracy, effectively distributing misinformation that could damage the party’s reputation and incite public confusion regarding its status in the 2027 general election.
The party leadership expressed extreme frustration regarding the potential fallout of such misinformation, noting that it creates unnecessary instability for their campaign and supporters. However, they remain optimistic that the confusion will be definitively resolved once the Independent National Electoral Commission publishes its final, verified list of validly nominated candidates. The LP is confident that when this document is made public—following the established electoral timetable—it will serve as an objective, ironclad vindication of their status. They believe the official record will leave no room for doubt, proving that the party fulfilled every legal requirement for nomination ahead of the forthcoming polls.
Beyond mere procedural defense, the Labour Party took a sharper tone when framing these allegations as a calculated strategic attack. The party claimed that the spread of these reports is part of an orchestrated smear campaign designed to erode the political momentum they have built ahead of 2027. They suggested that political rivals, clearly unsettled by the LP’s rising popularity and increasing support base among the Nigerian electorate, have pivoted toward deception. By labeling the allegations as “idle beer parlour gossip masquerading as journalism,” the leadership argued that their opponents have abandoned substantive, issue-based policy debates in favor of a desperate, failed propaganda campaign.
In its concluding remarks, the Labour Party urged its members, supporters, and the general public to remain focused and undeterred by what it branded as “fake news.” The party reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to participating in the nation’s democratic process and pledged to continue its campaign efforts. They have encouraged the public to disregard anonymous, unverified claims and instead await the official publication of candidate lists by INEC. By focusing on the facts rather than reactionary media headlines, the party hopes to bypass the current controversy and maintain its trajectory toward the upcoming election cycle.