Controversy brews over November 4 council poll in Enugu

Controversy is brewing in Enugu State in the local government election fixed for November 4, following the mass disqualification of chairmanship and councillorship candidates of the opposition political parties by the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) and the verbal reversal of the disqualification by the Chairman of the Commission Mr Mike Ajogwu (SAN).
Except for the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), registered opposition political parties in the state were complaining that their members have been disqualified for unknown reasons and are demanding the postponement of the exercise.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) said at least two of her chairmanship candidates and about 71 councillorship candidates have been disqualified in her strongholds in the state. Other opposition parties including the All progressive Grand Alliance (APGA); United Progressive Party (UPP); Labour Party (LP); Progressive People’s Alliance (PPA) and others are also complaining.
One of the opposition parties’ chairman in the state, Dr. Ben Nwoye, who alleged that the Peoples Democrat party (PDP) has targeted APC’s stronghold, to disqualify its candidates as against their understanding with Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi that there would be level playing ground for all political parties.
Following their candidates’ disqualification, the party said it has assembled a team of lawyers currently studying the situation, and would advise on the next action to take saying that in the interim, that the ENSIEC chairman should resign, for his action in breach of the electoral law by disqualifying their candidates.
Nwoye also accused ENSIEC chairman, Mr Mike Ajogwu (SAN) of being a card-carrying member of the PDP, adding that the ruling party in the state intimidated other opposition parties, because of their campaign and ability to field quality candidates in the 260 electoral wards and 17 local government areas across the state.
APC in a statement obtained by The Daily Times in Enugu after the party’s stakeholders meeting, and signed by the state Publicity Secretary, Mrs Kate Ofor, highlighted the areas their candidates were disqualified, “A cursory glance and to mention a few – Udi Agbudu, target, Chief Sullivan Chime; Eke ward, target, Mr Osita Okechukwu; Obinagu Udi, target, the National vice Chairman of APC, South-East, Chief Emma Eneukwu; Aguobu Owa, Eziowa ward 2, target, Barr. Joe Mamel; Aniri Local Government Areas 7 councillorship candidates, target, Group Captain Joe Orji (rtd).
“The irony of it is that no single PDP person has been disqualified which means that in the judgement of ENSIEC chairman, Mr Ajogwu, they are all saints.”
Ofor, therefore, warned “that failure to reinstate our candidates before the election, APC will not only head to court, but will explore other legitimate avenue to stop this crass illegality ; especially going by the extant laws that no electoral body under our constitution, ENSIEC inclusive, has the power to disqualify any candidate fielded by a political party.”
Ogbuagu Anikwe, the Enugu State Commissioner for Information, has said in a statement that the information available to the state government from ENSIEC, was that the APC candidates were disqualified because they failed to provide their tax clearance to the electoral body.
Anikwe therefore, dismissed the allegations by APC that Ugwuanyi had encouraged ENSIEC to disqualify its members, saying that the governor has always been a man of peace and has given his word; to ensure credible conduct of the local government election in the state.
For alleged bias in the conduct of the election, a coalition of 35 political parties in the state during the week, asked the electoral body ENSIEC, to without further delay postpone the poll or they would seek legal redress in court.
Chairman of Hope Democratic Party (HDP), Adonys Igwe, who led the parties on a protest march to the commission’s headquarters in the state, accused the Commission of flouting its own rules to favour the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The coalition also demanded the sack of the Commission’s members and its Chairman, Mike Ajogwu, accusing them of compromising in their responsibilities, while dismissing the non-payment of tax, which the electoral body gave as a reason for disqualifying some of them, adding “Only people who are working could be taxed.”
According to Igwe; “They disqualified all our candidates, including the ones in Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s ward whom we believed were capable of winning the election. They did not tell us why they did it, but we knew it was because they didn’t want any challenge.
“By this action, the commission’s members have proved that they are card- carrying members of the PDP. Before the disqualification of our candidates, they were asked to make certain payments, until the court stopped it,” he said.
However, there may have been some respite in the camp of the opposition as ENSIEC has reversed itself on the disqualification of candidates of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and other opposition candidates in the forthcoming November 4 local government election in the state.
The decision for the reversal followed intense pressure from opposition parties and other stakeholders in the state.
Addressing newsmen at the end of the meeting between ENSIEC and stakeholders of opposition parties at the commission’s office, the state chairman of the APC, Dr. Ben Nwoye applauded the chairman of ENSIEC, Chief Mike Ajogwu (SAN) for shifting ground.
But Nwoye added that there were still issues that needed to be resolved and advised ENSIEC not to allow itself to be used to commit illegality.
The APC chairman further hinted that the ENSIEC chairman has given verbal approval to all the candidates who were earlier disqualified over their inability to provide evidence of tax payment to participate in the election, but insisted that those who did not attend the commission’s screening exercise with cogent reason stands disqualified.
“ENSIEC has no legal power to screen candidates sponsored by political parties,” he maintained.
He argued that ENSIEC did not follow due process or its guidelines in disqualifying the said candidates.
“From every indication, the ENIEC chairman is acting under pressure, this commission is bent on exercising the powers they don’t have,” he said.
Nwoye said it was unfortunate that ENSIEC went ahead to disqualify candidates of the opposition parties with Temporal Voters Card, TVC but cleared candidates of the PDP that have same card.
The APC chairman disclosed that the party’s legal team was already studying the developments for possible legal options.
He advised ENSIEC chairman to do the needful to avoid legal action that is capable of embarrassing his hard earned reputation as a senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

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The APC chairman further hinted that the ENSIEC chairman has given verbal approval to all the candidates who were earlier disqualified over their inability to provide evidence of tax payment to participate in the election, but insisted that those who did not attend the commission’s screening exercise with cogent reason stands disqualified.