Published by Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) polling agent has accused the Enugu State Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Enyinna Franklin Ogbonna, of orchestrating a brutal attack on him during Saturday's Enugu North Senatorial District by-election, an assault that left the agent hospitalised with severe injuries and sparked widespread outrage over the conduct of the electoral process. The agent, identified only as Justice, is currently receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital, where he spoke to SaharaReporters from his hospital bed, coughing blood and with bandages covering his head.
Justice alleged that the attack occurred at the Umuodo Village Hall polling unit in Ogwu Ward, Obollo Afor, Udenu Local Government Area, which he described as the commissioner's hometown. According to his account, he arrived at the polling unit to perform his duties as a duly accredited PDP agent when he was confronted by Ogbonna. "He asked that he buy palm wine for me, but I declined. I told him I did not come to drink palm wine. I came to serve as a party agent," Justice recounted. He said Ogbonna bluntly told him he was not welcome and that the polling unit belonged to him, insisting that the APC had already won the election before voting was concluded. "He told me that the polling unit belonged to him and that his party, the APC, had already won the election. He said if I stayed beyond two minutes, he would do something nasty," Justice alleged.
Shortly afterwards, Justice claimed that suspected thugs linked to the commissioner descended on him. "His thugs who are known cultists came. One of them, Ezeme Mellitus, started brutalising me — kicking, hitting and punching me all over my body. Another thug called Anayo Obute came and knocked me down," he stated. He said women who had gathered to vote were horrified by the attack and pleaded with the assailants to stop, begging the commissioner to allow Justice to stay and let the election be free and fair. The victim further alleged that the commissioner's mother actively participated in efforts to force him out of the polling unit. "The commissioner's mother started shouting and intimidating other women. She said I must leave the polling unit because it belonged to her son," Justice said.
Justice's ordeal was one of several violent incidents that marred the Enugu North Senatorial District by-election, which was held to fill the vacancy created by the death of Senator Okey Ezea of the Labour Party. The election, conducted across the six local government areas of Igbo-Etiti, Igbo-Eze North, Igbo-Eze South, Nsukka, Udenu and Uzo-Uwani, was marked by widespread reports of voter intimidation, ballot box snatching, and attacks on opposition party agents.
In a separate incident, a Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) agent was reportedly shot after resisting a ballot box snatching operation in Ihe Obukpa Ward, Igbo-Eze South Local Government Area. The victim, popularly known as "Nwa Naija," is currently receiving treatment in a hospital in nearby Ovoko community. Political commentator Senator Chijinkem Ugwuanyi, who shared the incident on social media, wrote: "Thugs shot a PRP agent at Ihe Obukpa Ward because he tried to resist ballot box snatching. They have been snatching ballot boxes across Enugu North because of the massive loss to the PRP senatorial candidate, Dr Ugo Ugwuanyi." Ugwuanyi alleged that some of those behind the attack were members of the local community. "Those who led these thugs are Obukpa indigenes and shame to all of you who led these thugs — brother killing brother because of politics," he said.
In another disturbing development, a video surfaced showing a man identified by residents as an APC political thug openly instructing voters to leave a polling unit if they were unwilling to vote for the ruling party's candidate. The incident reportedly occurred at Eluagu Obukpa Polling Unit in Obukpa Ward. In the video, the man was overheard speaking on the telephone, declaring: "Anybody who is not voting for APC should leave the polling unit. I have told them. If you are not voting APC, leave this polling unit, whether you like it or not." The footage sparked outrage among residents and opposition supporters, who described it as a blatant attempt to intimidate voters and undermine the credibility of the electoral process.
Nigerian soldiers deployed to maintain security during the election also arrested armed APC thugs in a separate operation. According to SaharaReporters, the suspects were intercepted before they could carry out an attack on a politician identified as Hon. Cosmo Agbo. The suspects were found in possession of a pump-action gun, and videos showed them sitting on the ground under military custody shortly after their arrest. "The soldiers arrested them before they could carry out the operation. They came in a Sienna vehicle and were reportedly heading to attack Hon. Cosmo Agbo," a source said. However, attempts to get the suspects to reveal who supplied them with the weapon proved unsuccessful.
The attacks extended to other opposition figures. In Ibagwa Ani, Nsukka Local Government Area, the PDP Ward Chairman, Ezema Ejike Eric, was allegedly attacked, assaulted, robbed and stripped naked by armed thugs before managing to escape. Several videos circulating on social media also showed scenes of chaos at polling centres, with allegations of ballot box snatching, voter intimidation and widespread electoral malpractice.
The Enugu State Police Command and other security agencies have yet to issue an official statement on the incidents. However, the violence has cast a dark shadow over the electoral process, raising questions about the commitment of authorities to ensuring free, fair and peaceful elections in the state. Opposition parties have called for investigations into the attacks and for the arrest and prosecution of those responsible. As the PDP agent Justice continues to recover from his injuries, his harrowing testimony serves as a stark reminder of the dangers faced by those who seek to uphold democratic processes in Nigeria's increasingly volatile political landscape.
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