No fewer than seven candidates drawn from various political parties will contest the Enugu North Senatorial District by-election on Saturday, June 20, as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) conducts the election.
Candidates and Parties
According to the final list released by INEC, the candidates include:
- Chika Idoko Emmanuel – African Democratic Congress (ADC)
- Asogwa Ikeje Israel – All Progressives Congress (APC)
- Aneke Kingsley Chukwuebuka – Booth Party (BP)
- Eze Ejike Simon – Labour Party (LP)
- Ossai Elias Okwudili – National Democratic Congress (NDC)
- Ezeme Nestor Chika – Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
- Ugwuanyi Charles Ugochukwu – Peoples Redemption Party (PRP)
The winner will serve the remainder of the tenure of the former occupant, Okey Ezea, who died and was buried some months ago. Ezea won the seat during the 2023 elections under the Labour Party.
Controversy and Legal Challenges
INEC had earlier excluded several parties, including the NDC and LP, sparking controversy and legal reactions across the senatorial district. The Labour Party approached the court to challenge the omission of its candidate. However, following the eventual inclusion of its candidate in the revised list released by INEC a few days ago, the party reportedly withdrew the suit. The revised list effectively opens the race to four additional parties that were absent from the commission’s earlier publication.
Demographics of Candidates
A breakdown of the candidates shows that Eze Ejike Simon of the Labour Party is the oldest contender at 67 years, while Ossai Elias Okwudili of the NDC is 66 years old. The youngest candidate is Aneke Kingsley Chukwuebuka of the Boot Party, aged 39, followed by Chika Idoko Emmanuel of the ADC, aged 41. Other candidates include Asogwa Ikeje Israel of the APC, aged 56; Ezeme Nestor Chika of the PDP, aged 55; and Ugwuanyi Charles Ugochukwu of the PRP, also 55. INEC’s final notice further indicates that all seven candidates are male.
Election Logistics and Security
The election is scheduled to hold across the six local government areas that make up Enugu North Senatorial District: Nsukka, Igbo-Eze North, Igbo-Eze South, Udenu, Uzo-Uwani, and Igbo Etiti. To ensure a smooth conduct of the by-election, the Enugu State government on Friday restricted human and vehicular movements from 12:00 am (midnight) to 6:00 pm across the six local government areas and 102 electoral wards. Only INEC officials, security personnel, accredited election observers, media practitioners, and other persons duly authorised for election duties are exempt from the restriction.
A statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof Chidiebere Onyia, encouraged residents to exercise their civic responsibility peacefully and in accordance with electoral guidelines. He also urged political parties, candidates, and their supporters to remain law-abiding during and after the exercise. The statement directed security agencies to ensure strict compliance with this directive, while wishing the people a peaceful and successful election.
