INEC declares Asogwa of APC winner of Enugu North Senatorial District by-election

Oppositions finger irregularities, threaten court actions

By Alumona Ukwueze 

NSUKKA —-The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on Sunday declared Ikeje Asogwa of the All Progressives Congress, APC, winner of the Enugu North Senatorial District by-election held on Saturday in Enugu State.

This is even as opposition political parties, including the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, and People’s Redemption Party, PRP, candidates described the election as  a charade and rape of democracy.

However, while declaring Asogwa the winner of the election, the  INEC’s Returning Officer, Professor Christian Ezeibe, of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN said the APC candidate polled 162,360 votes, to defeat his closest rival, Nestor Ezeme, of PDP  who polled 9,299 votes.

According to the result declared by INEC, Ossai Okwudili of Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC,  polled 3,129 votes to claim third position.

In other results, Chika Idoko of African Democratic Congress, ADC, got 1,676 votes, while Ejike Eze of Labour Party got 1,027 votes. Ugwuanyi Charles of PRP polled 667 votes while Booty Party candidate got 416 votes.

In his appreciation address, the APC candidate, Asogwa, thanked the people of Enugu North Senatorial District for the support, trust and confidence reposed in him by electing him to represent them at the Senate.

He also said “I wish to express my special appreciation to my leader, mentor, and the leader of our great party, the pragmatic, dynamic, ebullient, effervescent, innovative, and visionary Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Barr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, whose unwavering commitment to the unity, peace, and development of Enugu State continues to inspire confidence and progress. His support, leadership, and dedication played a significant role in the success recorded in this election.

   “I also extend my heartfelt gratitude to the Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Barr. Ifeanyi Ossai; our party leadership at the national, state, local government, ward, and unit levels; local government chairmen; party stakeholders and faithful; community leaders; traditional rulers; religious leaders; youth and women groups; security agencies; electoral body, members of the media; friends; family members; supporters; and all well-wishers who stood by us throughout this journey.”

Meanwhile, during his reaction to ballot-snatching incident at Ogwu/Umuodu polling Unit at Obollo Afor in Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu State, the PDP candidate, Ezeme, said APC resorted to violence and ballot-snatching due to their unpreparedness and lack of popularity in the Senatorial District.

Ezeme, who described the election as a charade and rape of democracy, alleged that there were widespread intimidation and suppression of opposition voters by APC thugs, adding that thugs shot sporadically at Ogwu/Umuodu polling Unit, dispersed voters before running away with electoral materials.

Also in his reaction, the National Vice Chairman (South East) of the PRP, Peter Okafor, called on INEC to cancel the election because of widespread electoral violence and intimidation of voters.

“I am surprised that in an ordinary Senatorial by-election, there were a lot of thuggery, electoral violence, snatching of ballot boxes and electoral materials. Our supporters were shot at and severed with axe. In some polling units, there were no INEC officials and security agencies,” he said.

The Director General of PRP’s candidate, Campaign Organization, Juliet Ugwuja, called on INEC to cancel the election due to widespread electoral violence observed during the election.

Ugwuoke who said that she observed the election in all the six local government areas of the District, stated that the party agents of PRP were chased out of some polling units during the election. She added that his party will challenge the result of the election in the court of law if their candidate were not declared winner of the election.

However, the APC local government candidates in Udenu and Igbo-Eze North Local Government Areas of Enugu State, Dr. Innocent Ezeoha, and Onyekachi Simon respectively, described the election in their local governments as free, fair and credible.

They said APC mobilized voters and are confident that Asogwa will give the people of the District quality representation at the Senate. 

Vanguard gathered that a voter, Sunday Ofoma, was shot, while Sunday Ugwuja’s head was equally severed with axe at Obukpa in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State while they were trying to exercise their franchise.

Equally, two journalists, Chinazom Amadi, who publishes Dega Voice Newspaper, and Uche Okwuanyionu, of Lion FM, UNN, were arrested by security agencies for covering the election and later released. 

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