The Labour Party has vehemently criticized the seven-year jail sentence handed down to its Enugu State House of Assembly candidate, Bright Ngene, over a disputed community matter.
This comes just ahead of a crucial rerun election in Ngene’s constituency, scheduled following a previous declaration of inconclusiveness.
The Enugu South Magistrates Court, under the supervision of E. D. Onwu, sentenced Ngene last Friday, reigniting tensions within the political landscape. Ngene was initially arraigned in 2017, alongside two others, by the Enugu State Police Command concerning a N15 million development fund case linked to his community.
In the recent 2023 general elections, Ngene emerged victorious against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, prompting the PDP to contest the outcome.
Labour Party officials, represented by National Publicity Secretary Obiora Ifoh, expressed their concerns during a press conference in Abuja. They asserted that the judiciary in Enugu has become a partisan player, aiming to disqualify their candidate unfairly.
The party’s leadership also included National Legal Adviser Kehinde Edun and Deputy National Chairman Ayo Olorunfemi.
Ifoh noted the perceived irregularities in the judicial process, stating, “The judiciary in Enugu has since unmasked itself and has assumed the position of an interested party.” He stated the urgency of addressing these issues to safeguard democracy in the state.
The Labour Party has called on the National Judicial Council (NJC) to investigate the judicial conduct and urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to halt the rerun election until a fair resolution is reached.
