THE Enugu South Urban Constituency by-election ended in a fourth failed attempt to hold the vote on Saturday, despite the large turnout of voters at the designated polling venue, Uwani Secondary School.
According to media reports, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) deployed election materials; but no votes had been cast by 3:20 p.m., forcing officials to close the polling unit and pack up.
Earlier, INEC officials could not begin voting because sensitive materials, such as result sheets, were unavailable.
The ICIR reported that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), was set to hold by-elections on Saturday, August 16, across 16 constituencies in 12 states, for two senatorial seats, five House of Representatives positions, and nine state assembly slots.
The polls follow vacancies created by resignations, deaths, and court-ordered reruns.
Meanwhile, tensions rose at Uwani Secondary School polling unit when a group of women staged a protest, accusing politicians of undue interference and demanding the disqualification of the Labour Party candidate over a criminal conviction.
He was reportedly sentenced to seven years in prison in July 2024 by an Enugu South Magistrate Court, over a N15 million community development fund scandal. The case is currently under appeal.
Enugu State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Chukwuemeka Chukwu, expressed concern over the lack of progress and appealed to politicians to allow the process to run its course.
“This is the fourth time this by-election has been attempted without success. I am pleading with all stakeholders to behave responsibly and allow us to conclude this process. The people of Enugu deserve a fair election,” he said.
The People’s Democratic Party candidate, Sam Ngene, voiced frustration over the delay, attributing the disruption to the presence of high-profile officials.
“If you look properly, there is strong mobilisation for this election. The problem is the infiltration of influential figures like the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, and Senator Kevil Chukwu, who are interfering with the process. -“My opponent is behind bars. The constitution is clear: a convict cannot contest an election,” he said.
In defense of his presence, the Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology explained that he was acting in his role as the APC leader in Enugu State.
“I have a right to be here because I am the leader of my party in the state,” he stated, addig: “The PDP cannot win this election. If the election is not concluded today, we will stay here until it is,” Nnaji said.
The Labour Party (LP) chairman in Enugu South, Chinwuba Ngwu, likewise condemned the lack of progress.
“We have been here since 7 a.m. There is no accreditation, no voting, and no information from INEC. We are in the dark,” he said.
The ICIR reports that the seat has remained vacant since the State Assembly Election Petition Tribunal annulled the March 18, 2023, results and ordered a rerun in eight polling units with a total of 4,618 registered voters.
In the election, Bright Ngene was declared winner with 5,862 votes, defeating his closest rival, Sam Ngene, by more than 2,000 votes.
Previous attempts to hold the by-election took place on February 3, February 14, and June 8, 2024.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.