The political atmosphere in Enugu grew tense on Saturday following an accusation by PDP candidate, Sam Ngene, who alleged that the Minister of Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, disrupted the ongoing by-election in Enugu South Urban Constituency with the aid of hoodlums, a claim the minister promptly refuted.

The by-election is the result of a long legal and political battle, after the State Assembly Election Petition Tribunal nullified the March 18, 2023 election results, ordering a rerun in eight polling units, affecting 4,618 registered voters.

Previous attempts to conduct the rerun had failed.

On february 3, 2024, the rerun was cancelled due to alleged missing result sheets.

On February 14, 2024, it was abandoned after violence erupted.

While on June 8, 2024, the rerun election was postponed indefinitely, until Saturday’s fresh exercise.

The race has effectively become a two-man contest between Labour Party candidate, Barr. Bright Ngene, currently in prison over a community-related matter and PDP’s Sam Ngene, a former member of the House of Assembly.

Speaking at his polling unit, Sam Ngene alleged that the exercise was once again under threat from powerful political figures.

“We are here as PDP to conduct this election because we know that this is my stronghold, this is my ward, and my polling unit is one of the places that had this problem,” Ngene said.

“The first time, it was Senator Kelvin Chukwu from Nkanu West and some other people who were not supposed to be here. They disrupted this election. The second time, the same thing happened. This third time again, we are announcing that the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Mr. Uche Nnaji, is also here, and I am wondering why he came. He came in here with hoodlums, with intimidation, disrupting this election and making sure that it does not hold.”

“Ask yourself, who are we even contesting with? Somebody is behind bars for fraudulent activity, convicted and sentenced, and he is still on the ballot. Is that supposed to be so? The answer is no. The constitution is very clear: if you are convicted or if you are an ex-convict, you cannot stand for any election. You can’t even vote. You have lost your freedom completely,” he stated.

In his reaction, Minister Uche Nnaji rejected the accusation, maintaining that his presence at the polling unit was lawful, as a leader and representative of his party.

“I am an APC man, and that is why I was appointed. I remain an APC man. I am the leader of APC in the state, and on that basis, I am the polling unit agent of APC. You can see my tag, so I am here rightfully,” Nnaji said.

He also denied bringing thugs to the venue.

“I don’t carry hoodlums. I carry policemen, army, and DSS—people that are friendly to the public, people that are law-abiding, people mandated by law to protect lives and property. That is what I use,” the minister stated.

Addressing the rising tension, Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr. Chukwuemeka Chukwu, appealed to stakeholders and voters for restraint.

“You can see the good number of political bigwigs present here today from the PDP, APC, and Labour Party. Many people are here, either to vote or to observe. However, according to one of our Corps members presiding over this election, some voters are saying they will not cast their votes unless the candidate currently in prison; who they allege isn’t constitutionally qualified is disqualified from contesting,” Dr. Chukwu said.

“So, I am pleading with members of the public and the good people of Enugu to kindly allow us to conclude this process today. This is my prayer. Let all of us conduct ourselves properly, regardless of our positions in society. This is the fourth time we are coming out for this election, and I am appealing to everyone to cooperate.”

“I honestly do not know why this place is even this crowded; it is not supposed to be so. Therefore, I am pleading with all stakeholders in Enugu State; let us not create problems in this election. Please, that is my prayer and my request,” he added.

Agents of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were noticeably absent from several polling units in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State during Saturday’s by-election.

A visit to polling stations at Oluku, Owina, and Eronseyi Primary School, among others, revealed that only agents of the All Progressives Congress (APC) were present to monitor the election process.

There was no visible presence of PDP representatives at these locations.

The absence of PDP agents raised concerns about the level of participation and representation by the party in the affected areas.

In response, Toni Azeigbemi, Chairman of the PDP Caretaker Committee in Edo State, downplayed the issue, insisting that the party was fully participating in the by-election.

“We have our polling agents on the ground in many units. After all, Peter Obi of the Labour Party won in several polling units during the 2023 presidential election, even without agents in most of them,” Azeigbemi said.

Despite the PDP’s assurance, eyewitness reports from various polling stations continued to show a lack of party agent representation in key locations across the constituency.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to cancel the Shanono/Bagwai State Constituency by-election and the Ghari Constituency rerun in Kano State, citing widespread violence and disruption by armed thugs.

According to the APC, the electoral process in the affected areas was marred by chaos, with over 200 suspected thugs reportedly arrested by police across the state during the exercise.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, the ruling party alleged that security agencies were overwhelmed in several polling units, forcing voters to flee due to violence and intimidation.

“The APC calls on INEC to immediately cancel the by-elections for Shanono/Bagwai and Ghari constituencies due to extreme violence and electoral disruption caused by armed thugs,” the statement read.

The party said it had received verifiable reports from affected areas, indicating that the integrity of the electoral process had been severely compromised.

It warned that continuing the election under such conditions would undermine democratic values and set a dangerous precedent for future polls.

“Allowing this process to proceed under such conditions of utter brigandage and violent voter intimidation contradicts the principles of free, fair, and credible elections,” the APC added.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed the arrest of over 100 suspected political thugs in Bagwai Local Government Area of Kano State during Saturday’s by-election.

Speaking with journalists in Bagwai, the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Kano, Abdu Zango, said the arrests were made as part of efforts by security agencies to maintain peace and ensure a smooth electoral process.

“All those we’ve identified as threats to the process have been apprehended, and I can confidently say the election is proceeding peacefully,” Zango stated.

He commended the timely deployment of sensitive electoral materials and noted that polling began in most locations by 8:30 a.m., despite a few logistical challenges.

“We had minor delays in some areas due to vehicle breakdowns and attempted disruptions by certain groups. However, security operatives were proactive in addressing these issues and restoring order,” he added.

While Zango did not disclose the identities of those arrested, he confirmed that the police had taken them into custody and were preparing to prosecute them in accordance with the law.

He reassured the public that the situation remained under control and that INEC was committed to conducting a free, fair, and credible by-election.

The Kano State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of 288 suspected political thugs during Saturday’s by-election and rerun polls held across various parts of the state.

Police spokesperson SP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa said the arrests were made as part of heightened efforts to ensure security and prevent electoral violence.

He disclosed that dangerous weapons were recovered from the suspects, including a pump-action rifle, locally fabricated firearms, knives, and cutlasses.

“These arrests were carried out to safeguard the electoral process and maintain peace across the affected areas. Investigations are currently underway, and those found guilty will face prosecution,” Kiyawa stated.

The police reassured the public of their commitment to upholding law and order during and after the election, adding that political violence and thuggery will not be tolerated in Kano.