Enugu South Urban Rerun: INEC Postpones Election Indefinitely

BY JUDE OSSAI / ENUGU

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has postponed the Enugu South Urban re-run election indefinitely, apparently creating an uneasy calm in the state polity.

It was observed that as early as 7 am, voters had clustered in the affected polling units but no official of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, showed up.

The Labour Party (LP) Candidate for the election, Bright Ngene, who was at the polling centre, expressed sadness over the development.

He said there was no information available to him and his party that the election would not hold.

Ngene, who said rumour was flying that the election has been postponed, cautioned that the INEC was a creation of the constitution and should act in accordance with the laws.

He said postponement of an election should follow due process and parties communicated.

However, when newsmen called the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in charge of Enugu State, Dr Chukwuemeka Chukwu, he confirmed that the election had been postponed.

“We have cancelled the exercise, that was on Wednesday. We made a press release to inform them that it would not hold,” he said.

Asked whether a new date has been fixed, he answered “no date yet; we hope that the commission will come up with a date any time soon.”

The REC in charge of Anambra State was drafted to conduct the election the last time following the suspension of the Enugu REC.

However, midway into voting, some thugs stormed the voting areas and destroyed voting materials.

Sequel to this, the re-run election was rescheduled for today, Saturday, June 8, 2024.

Contacted, the LP Chairman in Enugu State, Casmir Agbo declined comment.

“Go and ask INEC, direct your question to INEC. I decline comment,” he said.

On his part, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Candidate for the election, Hon Sam Ngene said the postponement of the exercise was duly communicated to his party.

Checks showed that the Saturday, June 8 postponement of the rerun is the third time the electoral body is putting it on hold.

It would be recalled that the LP Candidate for the State House of Assembly Constituency, Bright Ngene was declared winner of the March 18, 2023, House of Assembly election and was sworn-in, but the election was nullified by the court for being inconclusive.

Editor

Jude Ossai (JP) a veteran journalist is a National Diploma holder in Mass Communication from Ogwashi-Uku Polytechnic Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State. He also studied at Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) Enugu and Imo State University, Owerri for his first and second degrees in Mass Communication, respectively. He writes extensively on politics, crime, corruption, climate change, healthcare, human rights, social justice, among others.