The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Bright Ngene of the Labour Party as the winner of the rerun election held in Enugu S
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Bright Ngene of the Labour Party as the winner of the rerun election held in Enugu South 1 state Constituency.
The announcement was made in a statement signed by Sam Olumekun, INEC’s national commissioner and chairman of the information and voter education committee, on Tuesday, August 19.
It declared Ngene the winner of the rerun election, which finally resolved the prolonged crisis that had followed multiple failed attempts to hold the court-ordered poll.
Meanwhile, Ngene is currently remanded at the Enugu prison on the order of the Enugu magistrate vourt over a communal crisis reportedly hijacked by the state government.
On July 28, 2024, an Enugu South magistrates’ court, presided over by E. D. Onwu, sentenced Ngene to seven years’ imprisonment.
He had been arraigned in 2017 alongside two others by the Enugu state police command over a N15 million community development fund scandal.
However, the matter was later referred to Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).
Following Ngene’s victory in the March 18, 2023, state assembly election, the magistrate who had transferred the case to ADR stated that he was under instruction to conclude the case.
Ngene and two others are currently on trial in a revived case concerning the Akwuke community development fund.
This matter had been dormant since 2017 when Ngene served as legal counsel for his community in Enugu state, long before he ran for the assembly election.
The latest attempt to hold the rerun on Saturday, August 16, was unsuccessful after polling officials failed to produce sensitive materials, including result sheets.
This effectively prevented voters from casting their ballots.
The disruption, which led to heated confrontations among party supporters at polling units, was the fourth failed attempt to conduct the rerun since it was ordered by the court of appeal.
In its update on Tuesday, however, INEC confirmed that Ngene secured the highest number of votes, defeating his closest rival, Sam Ngene of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), by a margin of over 3,000 votes.
INEC said, “Two re run elections by order of the Election Petition Appeal Tribunals (EPAT) were held in Enugu and Kano states.
“After previous disruptions of the elections in the two states by violence and thuggery, the elections have now been concluded. Declaration and return were made by the returning officers. For the Enugu South 1 state constituency of Enugu State, Ngene Bright Emeka of the Labour Party (LP) was declared the winner.”
The commission also declared Ya’u Garba Gwarmai of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the election for the Ghari/Tsanyawa State Constituency in Kano state.
INEC noted that the elected candidates would be presented with their certificates of return.
The national assembly candidates would receive theirs on Thursday, August 21, while the State House of Assembly candidates would receive theirs on August 22, 2025.
The statement read: “In compliance with the provision of Section 72(1) of the Electoral Act 2022, certificates of return will be presented to the senators elect for Anambra South and Edo central senatorial districts as well as the five members of house of representatives elect for Ovie North East and Ovie South West federal constituency of Edo state, Babura/Garki federal constituency of Jigawa State, Chikun/Kajuru federal constituency of Kaduna State, Ikenne/Shagamu/Remo North federal constituency of Ogun State and Ibadan North federal constituency of Oyo state.
“The occasion will take place at the INEC national headquarters in Abuja on Thursday 21, August at 3 pm. For State Houses of Assembly, the certificates of return will be presented to members-elect by the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) in our state offices on Friday, 22 August at 11.00am.
“The constituencies are Ganye State Constituency of Adamawa State, Onitsha North 1 State Constituency of Anambra State, Basawa and Zaria/Kewaye State Constituencies of Kaduna State, Bagwai/Shanono and Ghari/Tsanyawa State constituencies of Kano State, Okura State constituency of Kogi State, Munya State constituency of Niger State, and Karim Lamido 1 State constituency of Taraba State. As always, the public will continuously be informed on all the activities of the commission.”
