By Nneka Ibe
Tension gripped Enugu on Saturday as a by-election in the Enugu South Urban constituency was marred by fresh allegations and counterclaims between political actors. The contest, already fraught with legal battles and repeated postponements, witnessed a dramatic turn when the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sam Ngene, accused the Minister of Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, of attempting to disrupt the exercise with hired thugs—an allegation the minister swiftly denied.
The rerun election was ordered after the State Assembly Election Petition Tribunal nullified the March 18, 2023 results and directed fresh voting in eight polling units with 4,618 registered voters. Three earlier attempts between February and June 2024 either ended in chaos or were cancelled, making Thursday’s exercise the fourth trial.
Sam Ngene, who previously represented the constituency in the House of Assembly, told reporters that the rerun was again being undermined by political interference. He alleged that the minister’s presence, along with unidentified persons, was aimed at disrupting the process. He further questioned the credibility of the election, pointing out that one of his opponents, Labour Party’s Bright Ngene—sworn into the Assembly in 2023 but currently serving a prison sentence—should not legally remain on the ballot.
Responding, Uche Nnaji rejected the allegations, insisting he was present at the polling unit in his capacity as leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State and accredited party agent. He maintained that he was only accompanied by lawful security personnel, not thugs, and accused his opponents of attempting to politicize his presence.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Enugu, Dr. Chukwuemeka Chukwu, intervened to calm tempers, urging political stakeholders to allow the process to conclude peacefully. He expressed concern about the unusually large crowd at the polling centre and appealed for restraint, noting that this was already the fourth attempt to conduct the election.
The rerun has become a direct contest between PDP’s Sam Ngene and Labour Party’s Bright Ngene, whose eligibility remains a source of concern
