IPAC Warn, Disowns Henry Ude Led Labour Party Faction
By Alex Odeh
The Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in Ebonyi State, Comrade Nasir Ernest Nwaze, has cautioned members of the Labour Party (LP), particularly those aligned with the Henry Udeh faction, against bringing their internal leadership crisis before IPAC, stressing that the council has no mandate to determine the leadership of political parties.
Nwaze made this clarification yesterday in Abakaliki while responding to allegations that IPAC had been compromised in its dealings with the Labour Party and the Ebonyi State Independent Electoral Commission (EBSIEC), ahead of preparations for the forthcoming local government elections.
According to him, IPAC remains an umbrella body for all registered political parties in the state and operates strictly on the principle of equality, without interference in the internal affairs of any party.
“IPAC does not run political parties. Every political party is independent and has its own internal mechanisms for resolving disputes,” Nwaze stated.
He explained that the Labour Party currently operates two parallel structures in Ebonyi State, but IPAC only relates with the faction officially recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“It is INEC that tells us who the leadership of a political party is. As of today in Ebonyi State, the chairman of the Labour Party recognised by INEC is Hon. Godwin Jioke,” he said.
Nwaze disclosed that although a court judgment delivered on January 20, 2026, reportedly directed INEC to recognise the Senator Nenadi Usman faction of the Labour Party, IPAC had not been served with the judgment.
He added that the Julius Abure faction had since approached the Supreme Court, which reportedly issued an order staying the execution of the judgment.
“Until INEC officially communicates any change to us, we will continue to work with the leadership it has recognised,” he stressed.
The IPAC chairman dismissed claims that the council had been compromised, noting that the Labour Party currently occupies the position of Treasurer within the IPAC executive structure in Ebonyi State.
“How can IPAC be compromised when the same Labour Party making the allegation is our treasurer?” he asked.
“APC does not run IPAC. The Deputy Chairman is from ADP, the Secretary is from Action Alliance, and the Deputy Secretary is from APM,” Nwaze explained.
He further emphasised that IPAC’s mandate is to promote peaceful engagement among political parties and interface with relevant electoral bodies such as EBSIEC, not to escalate conflicts.
“The idea that IPAC is only effective when it is fighting the government or the electoral umpire is a wrong mentality and a flawed approach to political engagement,” he said.
Nwaze advised aggrieved Labour Party members to resolve their disputes internally or through the courts, rather than bringing factional issues before IPAC.
“If there is a change in leadership in any party, INEC will issue an official introductory letter. That letter will be presented to IPAC, and we will notify other parties accordingly. Anything outside that process cannot be recognised,” he added.
He warned that recognising unapproved party leadership could trigger legal disputes capable of undermining the credibility of the local government elections.
“If INEC recognises someone and IPAC recognises the same person, there will be no conflict. But if individuals claim leadership without INEC recognition, it will only create confusion and litigation,” he said.
Meanwhile, tension heightened on Wednesday at the headquarters of the Ebonyi State Independent Electoral Commission (EBSIEC) in Abakaliki following allegations by the Labour Party that the commission was deliberately frustrating its participation in the forthcoming local government elections.
The Ebonyi State Chairman of the Labour Party, Chief Henry Ude, made the allegation while addressing journalists after leading party officials to the EBSIEC office to obtain nomination forms for the polls. He claimed that despite several visits, the commission had refused to issue the required forms.
According to Ude, party officials were denied access to both the Chairman and Secretary of EBSIEC, even though their official vehicles were allegedly seen within the commission’s premises.
“We are here to collect our party nomination forms because we intend to participate in this upcoming local government election. To our greatest surprise, they refused to see us or issue the forms,” Ude said.
He described the situation as a calculated attempt to disenfranchise the Labour Party and vowed that the party would explore all legal options to ensure its participation.
“This is unacceptable. We will take all necessary legal actions to ensure that we participate in this election. Ebonyi people deserve a choice,” he added.
Ude also raised concerns over the alleged high cost of nomination forms, arguing that such fees undermine the credibility of the electoral process.
“There can be nothing like a free and fair election when forms are said to cost as much as ₦30 million. That automatically shuts out ordinary citizens,” he said, adding that the Labour Party would make its own forms affordable or even free to encourage broader participation.
Also speaking, the Secretary of the Labour Party in the state, Comrade Innocent Igiri, accused EBSIEC of employing bureaucratic tactics to edge the party out of the election. He said the visit marked the 10th time the party had approached the commission to obtain the forms.
“Everything they asked us to bring, we brought. Yet they keep refusing to attend to us. There is an underground plan to disenfranchise the Labour Party because they are afraid of us,” Igiri alleged.
He further claimed that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was uneasy with the growing popularity of the Labour Party in the state.
“They know the Labour Party is the only viable opposition in Ebonyi State. They know we will win in many local governments, including Uburu,” he said.
However, the Chairman of EBSIEC, Mr Patrick Enyi, denied the allegations, insisting that the commission had no intention of excluding the Labour Party from the local government elections.
Enyi explained that the delay in issuing nomination forms was due to discrepancies between the names of Labour Party officials who approached the commission and the official list of party leadership provided by INEC.
“We respect the Labour Party as a duly registered political party, but the guidelines are clear: only the chairman or secretary whose names are certified by INEC can collect the forms,” he said.
According to him, issuing nomination forms to individuals not recognised by INEC could expose the commission to legal challenges.
“INEC is the only body that determines party leadership. Once the Labour Party resolves any discrepancy with INEC and returns with clarification, we are ready to issue the forms,” Enyi stated.
He also dismissed claims of financial barriers at the current stage, noting that EBSIEC does not charge political parties fees to obtain nomination forms for the conduct of primaries.
“There is no monetary implication at this stage. Parties are expected to collect the forms, conduct their primaries, and invite us to observe,” he said, adding that the process is time-bound.
Enyi warned that political parties that fail to conclude their primaries before the February 3 deadline risk being excluded from the ballot.
The unfolding controversy has raised concerns among political observers over the transparency and inclusiveness of the forthcoming local government elections in Ebonyi State, with calls for urgent resolution to avert legal disputes and possible voter apathy.
