The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ikeje Asogwa, winner of the Enugu North Senatorial District by-election conducted on Saturday in Enugu State.
INEC Returning Officer, Professor Christian Ezeibe of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), announced the results on Sunday, stating that Asogwa secured 162,360 votes to defeat his closest rival, Nestor Ezeme of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who polled 9,299 votes.
According to the results released by INEC, Ossai Okwudili of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) came third with 3,129 votes.
Other candidates recorded the following scores: Chika Idoko of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) polled 1,676 votes, Ejike Eze of the Labour Party (LP) secured 1,027 votes, Charles Ugwuanyi of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) garnered 667 votes, while the Boot Party candidate received 416 votes.
Reacting to his victory, Asogwa thanked the people of Enugu North Senatorial District for the confidence reposed in him and pledged to provide quality representation at the National Assembly.
He also expressed appreciation to Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State, describing him as a visionary leader whose support and commitment contributed significantly to the success of the election.
“I wish to express my special appreciation to my leader, mentor and the leader of our great party, Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, whose unwavering commitment to the unity, peace and development of Enugu State continues to inspire confidence and progress,” Asogwa said.
He further thanked party leaders, stakeholders, traditional rulers, religious leaders, youth and women groups, security agencies, electoral officials, members of the media, supporters and other well-wishers for their roles during the election.
However, the outcome of the poll has been rejected by opposition parties, which alleged widespread irregularities and violence during the exercise.
The PDP candidate, Nestor Ezeme, described the election as a “charade” and a “rape of democracy,” alleging that APC supporters resorted to violence and ballot snatching in several polling units.
Speaking after a reported ballot-snatching incident at Ogwu/Umuodu Polling Unit in Obollo Afor, Udenu Local Government Area, Ezeme accused APC members of intimidating voters and disrupting the electoral process.
According to him, armed thugs allegedly invaded polling units, shot sporadically into the air, dispersed voters and carted away electoral materials.
The Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) also rejected the conduct of the election.
The National Vice Chairman (South-East) of the party, Peter Okafor, called on INEC to cancel the poll, citing alleged electoral violence, voter intimidation and attacks on party supporters.
“I am surprised that in an ordinary senatorial by-election there were incidents of thuggery, ballot-box snatching and electoral violence. Some of our supporters were attacked, while party agents were chased away from polling units,” he said.
Similarly, the Director-General of the PRP Campaign Organisation, Juliet Ugwuja, alleged that electoral violence was widespread across the six local government areas that make up the senatorial district.
She claimed that PRP agents were prevented from carrying out their duties in some polling units and warned that the party could challenge the outcome of the election in court.
Despite the allegations, APC leaders in the district described the election as peaceful, free and credible.
The APC candidates in Udenu and Igbo-Eze North local government areas, Dr. Innocent Ezeoha and Onyekachi Simon, respectively, commended voters for their participation and expressed confidence that Asogwa would provide effective representation for the district at the Senate.
Meanwhile, reports from parts of the district indicated that violence marred voting in some communities.
A voter identified as Sunday Ofoma was reportedly shot, while another resident, Sunday Ugwuja, allegedly sustained severe injuries after being attacked with an axe in Obukpa, Nsukka Local Government Area, while attempting to vote.
Two journalists covering the election, Chinazom Amadi of Dega Voice Newspaper and Uche Okwuanyionu of Lion FM, UNN, were also reportedly detained by security operatives before being released.
