INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, during a media briefing on Friday in Abuja. Credit: Channels TV
Chukwu, the assassinated Labour Party’s Enugu East senatorial candidate
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has postponed the election in Enugu East Senatorial District by 16 days.
Its Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu announced this at a media briefing on Friday in Abuja, saying the election in the senatorial district earlier slated for Saturday, February 25, 2023, has been moved to March 11, 2023.
He said the postponement in the district which covers six local government areas became necessary with the killing of the Labour Party (LP)’s senatorial candidate for the district, Oyibo Chukwu on Thursday.
He said the Labour Party reached out to the electoral body to convey its intention to provide a replacement and go ahead with the poll at the new date.
Chukwu and his personal assistant were assassinated on Wednesday when hoodlums attacked them and set their vehicle ablaze in the Eke-Otu Amechi-Awkunanaw area of Enugu.
Enugu State Police Commissioner Ahmed Ammani who visited the scenes of the incidents has ordered an investigation into it and condemned the attack.
He commiserated with the parties and family members of the deceased, vowing to ensure that the perpetrators are fished out and made to face the full wrath of the law.
The Commissioner said the police and other security agencies toward credible polls and called on the residents not to succumb to the antics of the hoodlums aimed at creating fear.
INEC chairman said the Labour Party will replace Chukwu.
He said, “The party also conveyed its intention to participate in the election for that constituency by replacing its deceased candidate. This request is in line with the provision of the law – Section 34, Sub-Section 1 of the Electoral Act 2022.”
“The Labour Party has provided satisfactory evidence of the death of its candidate. Consequently, the commission has suspended the election in the Senatorial district as provided by law.
“We have already communicated this decision to our Enugu State office.
“Therefore, there will be no senatorial election in Enugu East Senatorial District made up of six local government areas, 77 wards and 1,630 polling units tomorrow, February 25, 2023
“The election will now be combined with the governorship and state assemblies elections held in the next two weeks, on 11th of March 2023.”
Yakubu said the electoral materials for the election in the senatorial district will remain in the custody of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) till the new date.
Earlier, Enugu Police Command confirmed the killing of the LP’s senatorial candidate for Enugu East and his personal assistant by gunmen.
Police spokesman Daniel Ndukwu in a statement had said the incident happened Wednesday when the assailants in a Hilux vehicle, attacked and set ablaze Chukwu’s campaign vehicle.
Ndukwu explained that the gunmen “attacked and set ablaze the campaign vehicle of the Labour Party, at Eke-Otu Amechi-Awkunanaw Enugu, burning to death the Party’s Senatorial Candidate for Enugu East Senatorial District, Barr. Oyibo Chukwu (male) and his Personal Assistant (male) who was with him in the vehicle.
“However, the miscreants were repelled by security operatives while attempting to also attack the convoy of the Governorship Candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) at Eke, Agbani, Nkanu West LGA.”
Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi called on security agencies to investigate and prosecute the perpetrators.
“Enough of the killings, now is time for healing. I sincerely condole with the bereaved family, the Enugu East Senatorial Zone and our dear Labour Party family, for this painful loss,” Obi tweeted on Thursday.
The police spokesman disclosed that some members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were also murdered while the convoy of the All Progressive Congress (APC) governorship candidate for Enugu State Uche Nnaji was also affected.
“Preliminary investigations into the incidents show that the armed hoodlums, operating in a tricycle, attacked a PDP campaign Mini Bus at Topland by Ebony Paint Road, Amechi-Awkunanaw Enugu and used petrol bomb to set it ablaze, burning to death its driver, simply identified as one KC Great (male),” Ndukwu said.
Enugu State Police Commissioner Ahmed Ammani who visited the scenes of the incidents has ordered an investigation into it and condemned the attack.
He commiserated with the parties and family members of the deceased, vowing to ensure that the perpetrators are fished out and made to face the full wrath of the law,” Ndukwe added.
The Commissioner said the police and other security agencies toward credible polls and called on the residents not to succumb to antics of the hoodlums aimed at creating fear.
