Enugu LP Fumes as Court Jails Member  

The Labour Party Enugu State chapter has condemned what it termed the politically-motivated detention of its candidate for Enugu South Urban State Constituency, Bright Ngene, saying he was tried on trumped-up charges.

On June 28th, 2024, Ngene received a seven-year sentence from Enugu South Magisterial District.

The Labour Party criticised the judgement in a release issued and signed by Casimir Agbo, the State Chairman, and the Publicity Secretary, Onuora Odo, in Enugu, on Tuesday.

The party pleaded with the National Judicial Commission to intervene and stop further disgrace to the legal profession by officials influenced by political pressures.

The LP alleged that the magistrate, E. D. Onwu, rushed through a long-delayed case due to external pressure.

The party further accused the magistrate of ignoring both community protests and a complaint filed with the National Judicial Commission due to his visible bias.

We, the undersigned, strongly criticise the unfair and politically motivated jailing of the Labour Party’s candidate for Enugu South Urban State Constituency, Hon. Bright Ngene, during the March 18, 2023 election, in which he was victorious and was sworn in as a member of the Enugu House of Assembly.

“You would recall that Honourable Bright Ngene defeated his biggest contender, Sam Ngene, during the elections. However, the PDP candidate went to the court, praying to announce that the election was uncertain.

Meanwhile, the court directed a rerun in eight polling units. Unfortunately, the said rerun didn’t hold on two occasions, as the PDP candidate was unready for the elections but was only plotting with the Independent National Electoral Commission to rig the election.

The press statement added that the PDP-led government is conspiring with INEC to manipulate the election in favour of Sam Ngene.

The party said on two occasions that the rerun could not be held due to public opposition against any attempts to control or rig the election.