The forms were officially handed over on February 2, 2026, to the authentic state leadership of the Labour Party, led by Engr. Chief Henry Udeh (Ajimbest), the State Chairman, and Comrade Igiri Innocent, the State Secretary.
The move followed pressure from party stakeholders who had called on the state government and EBSIEC to ensure that nomination forms were released to the legitimate leadership of the party, rather than to an individual alleged to be acting on behalf of a court-sacked former national chairman.
EBSIEC had previously been accused of dealing with Godwin Jioke, who the Labour Party described as an impostor and an agent of the former National Chairman of the Labour Party, Julius Abure.
The party said the intervention by the Ebonyi State Government and Governor Chief Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru ensured the forms were released to the authentic leadership, allowing the party to participate in the upcoming elections without further hindrance.
Comrade Eze Oko Splendour, the Labour Party’s 2023 gubernatorial candidate in Ebonyi State, confirmed the development in a statement on Tuesday in Abakaliki and thanked Governor Nwifuru for the intervention.
He said the party would now proceed to conduct its primaries and requested an extension from EBSIEC.
EBSIEC had set February 3, 2026, as the deadline for submission of nomination forms.
However, the Labour Party said the delay in receiving the forms handed over at about 1:30pm on February 2, 2026 made it impossible to complete primaries within the timeframe.
The Labour Party leadership has formally requested an additional 14 days from the commission to conduct primaries and submit the final list of candidates.
The request was reportedly submitted to the office of the EBSIEC Chairman on Monday.
In response, the party said it is committed to ensuring that its nomination forms remain affordable, contrasting the cost with that of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), which is reported to have priced its forms at ₦30 million.
The Labour Party has encouraged interested aspirants to contact the state party leadership to obtain nomination forms and participate in the primaries.
The LGA elections are scheduled to hold in the coming weeks, with political parties finalizing candidates for council and chairmanship positions
