The leadership of the Labour Party (LP), Enugu state chapter, has condemned what it described as the ungodly detention of the member of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Hon. Bright Ngene.

Ngene, who represents Enugu South Urban constituency, alongside others was sent to a 7-year jail term on June 28, 2024 over a communal matter other than the political tussle for which he has been fighting to retain his seat at the Assembly.

Following a rerun election ordered by the election tribunal to ascertain who the actual winner was between the PDP candidate, Sam Ngene, the party alleged that Bright Ngene was imprisoned so that he would not participate in the rerun, thereby giving way for Sam Ngene to win the seat unchallenged.

A terse statement signed by the Chairman, Casmir Uchenna Agbo and Publicity Secretary, Titus Onuora Odo, respectively, in condemning Bright Ngene’s incarceration, called on the National Judicial Council (NJC) and civil society organisations to rise to the occasion to redress the anomaly.

The party hierarchy in the statement states thus: ‘We, the undersigned strongly condemn the unjust and politically motivated detention of  Hon. Bright Ngene, the Labour Party  Candidate for Enugu South Urban State constituency during the March 18, 2023 general elections which he won and was sworn in as a member of Enugu House of Assembly. 

“You would recall that Hon. Bright Ngene defeated his closest rival, Sam. Ngene during the elections. However, the PDP candidate went to the tribunal praying the honourable tribunal to to declare that the election was inconclusive. 

“Consequently, the Tribunal ordered for rerun in eight pooling units but, unfortunately, the said rerun didn’t take place on two occasions as the PDP Candidate was not prepared for the elections but was only plotting with Inec to rig the election.

“It’s very obvious that the PDP-led government is in cahoots with the INEC to manipulate the election in favour of Sam Ngene.

“It’s on record that the rerun could not take place on two  occasions because the masses came out to reject any form of manipulation and imposition. It’s on the strength of the stiff resistance being mounted by the Labour Party candidate that  the PDP-led government strategised and came up with an arm-twisting tactics geared towards stopping Bright at all costs…”