By Tido Lawal
The candidate of the Labour Party in the rerun election for Enugu South Urban Constituency in the State House of Assembly, Hon Bright Ngene, claims there are plans by some interests to incarcerate him ahead of the poll.
Our correspondent reports that Ngene was declared winner of the March 18 2023 House of Assembly election and was sworn into office. However, he was sacked by the state Assembly election petition tribunal based on a petition filed by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon Sam Ngene. The tribunal had ordered a rerun in eight polling units in two wards of the constituency.
The embattled LP candidate, in a save-my-soul message, claimed that those planning to arrest and detain him were allegedly conniving with some members of the judiciary, the state government and some prominent politicians bent on removing him from office. He claimed that the case his traducers were bringing against him was a matter against him and two others whose action was stayed by the National Judicial Council, NJC.
Our correspondent reports that the re-run election for the disputed eight polling units had held twice but were truncated by violence orchestrated by thugs. The candidate also claimed the third schedule poll fixed for June 8 was cancelled without communicating him.
Findings show that those planning to arrest and detain him allegedly resurrected a case instituted against the Labour Party candidate by his community, Akwuke/Akwuke Uwani autonomous community, in 2017.
The community, it was gathered, had after a meeting in January 7, 2017 made a complaint against Ngene over an alleged financial impropriety. The complaint led to the institution of a criminal case between the Commissioner of Police and Ngene.
However, documents obtained by reporters showed that the community wrote to court in the same year to withdraw the case after the matter was amicably resolved by the parties involved.
The letter for withdrawal/discontinuance of the matter was duly signed by Ichie Oliver Edeh, National President, Akwuke Town Union; Engr Chibuzor Ngene, President General Akwuke Town Union; Mr Ngene Chijioke Hillary, Secretary, Akwuke Town Union; and Emmanuel Nsude, Secretary, Akwuke Uwani Town Union.
They stated in the letter that they had resolved to withdraw the petition based on their satisfaction that the accused (Ngene) was innocent of the allegations against him.
A source, who does not want to be mentioned, said, “However, the court refused to heed the demand of the community as the Attorney General of the state delved into the matter.”
It was gathered that after the last postponement of the election, the court resurrected the case and the magistrate fixed Thursday June 27th for thr final adoption of the addresses.
The Labour candidate had petitioned the Chief Judge of the state for judicial review but no action was taken regarding the matter, it was learnt. He then petitioned the National Judicial Council, leading to the NJC taking custody of the matter.
Ngene had alleged in the petition to the NJC that, “There is a corruptive agreement between the Honourable Chief Judge of Enugu State, the Deputy Chief Registrar, and the state government to put me behind bars before a re-run is conducted over my seat in the Enugu State House of Assembly.”
According to him, “Unless NJC intervenes, my ambition to continue to be in the House of Assembly of Enugu State will be destroyed, and it would dent my political and legal career with a conviction.”
Ngene wondered why the court was ignoring NJC and going on with the matter even when all parties in the case should wait for the response of the commission.
In his words, “Why are these parties applying impunity in continuing with the trial when NJC has accepted custody of the matter. The ideal thing is that parties in this matter should relax for NJC to make a determination. But they are rushing the matter simply to put me behind the bars and go ahead to conduct the re-run election.
“I seek the NJC to save me from oppression, persecution and impeding wrongful conviction bathed by corruption and obvious abuse of judicial office and power.”
