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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has finally lifted the lid on why it put the brakes on the highly anticipated Enugu South 1 State Constituency rerun election, which had been billed as a crucial test of democratic will.
According to Dr. Chukwuemeka Chukwu, the man in charge of elections in Enugu, the decision to cancel the vote was prompted by intelligence suggesting a potential security threat.
In a brief interview with the press, Dr. Chukwuemeka Chukwu shared that the Enugu South 1 State Constituency election redo, previously set for June 8, will now be held at a later date, pending a formal announcement from the electoral authorities.
“But I am surprised some misguided people are taking up all sorts of unfounded falsehoods and rumours against the commission that it seems the election had been held in secret even as I am speaking to you,” he said.
Read also: Enugu South I: LP Cries Foul Over INEC’s Election Delay
The election’s legitimacy has been called into question after the tribunal ruled it inconclusive, a move that effectively reverses the earlier victory of Labour Party’s Bright Ngene, who had already assumed office.
The Eastern Updates reported that voters gathered at the polling stations bright and early on Saturday, but their eagerness to cast their ballots was thwarted by the notable absence of INEC officials, leading to widespread frustration.
This latest effort marks INEC’s third stab at conducting the election, a clear indication of the commission’s unrelenting drive to ensure the democratic will of the people is upheld.
Bright Ngene, the Labour Party’s flagbearer, lamented the situation, revealing that he and his party were blindsided by the election’s postponement, receiving no forewarning or justification from the relevant authorities.
While the LP cried foul, Sam Ngene, the PDP candidate, confirmed that his party had received formal notification of the election’s delay, a revelation that adds a new layer of complexity to the unfolding drama.
