Obi tells supporters to vote ADC in Saturday's by-elections after INEC omitted LP

Peter Obi, the Labour Party presidential flag-bearer in 2023, has urged his supporters to cast their votes for the coalition-backed African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the forthcoming by-elections.

On Saturday, August 16, 2025, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will conduct by-elections in 16 states across the country to fill two senatorial, five federal house of representatives and nine state assembly seats.

However, the electoral commission has excluded names of Labour Party candidates from a list it released on August 2, a move that triggered a protest march to the commission’s Abuja headquarters last week.

The omitted candidates had emerged from praimaries conducted by the Julius Abure-led National Working Committee (NWC) amid a leadership crisis rocking the party.

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Recognising the INEC decision, Obi took to his X account on Thursday, August 14, 2025, imploring his supporters to go out and vote for the ADC - the party adopted by the coalition to which he has pledged allegiance.

“On the 16th of August 2025, Nigerians will go to the polling units again for the by-elections,” the former Anambra Governor wrote.

“This is expected to take place in the 16 states of the federation, with 2 senatorial, 5 federal house of representatives and 9 state assembly seats available for voting.

“Kindly note that the Labour Party has no candidates recognised by INEC due to the internal crisis.

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“I humbly urge every member of the Obidient and COPDEM families to go out and vote for the coalition political party, the African Democratic Congress (ADC), in their respective states.

“The struggle for Nigeria has started.”