APC Congratulates Ngene, LP Winner of Enugu South Rerun election

Enugu State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has congratulated the jailed candidate of Labour Party (LP), Mr. Bright Ngene (Esq) for emerging victorious in the Enugu South 1 Constituency rerun election held last weekend.

The state chairman of APC, Chief Ugochukwu Agballah also appreciated the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chief Uche Nnaji for his presence during the rerun election checkmated possible electoral fraud.

The APC further hailed Senator Kelvin Chukwu, representing Enugu East senatorial District and other National Assembly members from the Senatorial district for standing firm to defend the franchise and mandate of the people.

Ngene’s return followed his declaration, on Tuesday August 19, in an update signed by Sam Olumekun, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information & Voter Education Committee.

INEC returned Bright Ngene winner of the election having previously polled 5,862 votes as against 2000 votes recorded for his closest opponent, Mr. Sam Ngene of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

His declaration brought to an end the crisis that has trailed every attempt to conduct the rerun in eight polling units, which was ordered by an Appeal Court.

While congratulating Bright Ngene, who is still in prison, the Enugu state APC Chairman, Agballah, said that Nnaji and all men and women of good will stood firm to ensure that the August 16 rerun election was not manipulated, despite insults and attacks by PDP members.

“What happened in Enugu State shows that Enugu people will no longer tolerate election rigging. The rigging of 2003 is the last rigging that will happen in the state. I celebrate with Bright Ngene because I have been a victim of rigging myself. In 2003 and 2007, I was popularly elected as Governor of Enugu state but I was rigged out by the same forces, who continued to rig elections afterwards.

“In 2023, the Labour Party won the governorship election but they were rigged out. Therefore, the only way we can defend the franchise of the people is that everybody must join hands. What happened in Enugu South is what we should do; people should come out in their thousands and defend their franchise irrespective of party affiliation,” Agballa said.

The APC chairman assured Bright Ngene that as APC stood behind him in defending his mandate, the party would also stand behind him to make sure that his legal battle to freedom is achieved so that he will occupy his seat that has been vacant for more than two years now due to the protracted electoral tussle.

Recall that an Enugu South Magistrates’ Court, presided over by E. D. Onwu, in June 2024, sentenced LP's Bright Ngene to seven years’ imprisonment over alleged community development fund scandal.

But many observers believe that his ordeal is political and in connection with the House of Assembly seat.