The Labour Party (LP) legislative caucus in Enugu State, consisting of two senators, four House of Representatives and five State Assembly members, today (Sunday, July 28) called for the immediate release of the party’s candidate for Enugu South Urban State Constituency, in the 2023 general elections, Mr Bright Ngene, who is being held at Enugu Correctional Centre.
Ngene was declared the winner of the election held on March 18, 2023, by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
But the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate challenged the victory and sought for the election to be declared inconclusive, which the Election Petition Tribunal agreed and ordered a rerun in eight polling units.
However, in a dramatic twist, an Enugu South Magistrate Court presided over by E. D. Onwu sentenced the LP candidate, Ngene, to Enugu Correctional Centre on Friday, June 28, in respect of an issue in his community.
Sen. Kelvin Chukwu representing Enugu East Senatorial District, who led the solidarity visit said that “Ngene is being incarcerated unjustly.”
Chukwu said that Ngene’s incarceration was on account of the re-run election, in which he is currently the leading contender with over 3,700 votes.
“There had been three attempts for the re-run election to be held but all proved abortive even as Hon Bright Ngene is leading comfortably with over 3,700 votes against his rival in PDP,” Senator Chukwu alleged.
“While the vote being contested for in the re-run, which is for eight polling units, is 4,200 votes.
“Because PDP has ulterior motives, they will not allow the election to be concluded fairly, freely and credibly.
“Surprisingly, the case Hon. Ngene had with his village in 2007, which has been forgotten, they (PDP) went and dusted it up and on that day; they came to the magistrate court for the first time (and) the magistrate decided to incarcerate him,” Chukwu said.
He added: “We have decided to come and see him and show him solidarity that he is not alone in this case.”
Sunday Umeha (Ezeagu/Udi Federal Constituency) called on the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Raymond Ozoemena, and the state’s attorney general to “right the wrong and see to the immediate release of Ngene.”
Umeha alleged that anti-democratic forces, who clearly knew that no matter how the re-run election was held, Ngene would surely win, had held him down with his incarceration at the correctional centre.
“There is an ongoing appeal on the matter, and we sincerely believe the incarceration will be reversed for justice to prevail,” Umeha said.
“We have confidence in the state judiciary and its ability to right the wrong.”
Some others on the delegation were Senator Okey Ezea (Enugu North), Prof. Paul Nnamchi (Enugu East/Isiuzo) and Chimaobi Atu (Enugu North and Enugu South).
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