Violence, voter intimidation and alleged attacks on party supporters overshadowed Saturday’s Enugu North Senatorial District by-election, with disturbing incidents reported in several communities across Nsukka, Igbo-Eze South and Udenu local government areas.
Among the most serious incidents was the reported shooting of a Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) polling agent who allegedly resisted an attempt to snatch a ballot box, while a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) agent also accused a serving commissioner in Enugu State of leading an attack against him.
Opposition parties alleged that political thugs, backed by influential figures, disrupted the election in a bid to influence the outcome of the poll.
One of the most alarming incidents occurred in Ihe Obukpa Ward, Igbo-Eze South Local Government Area, where a PRP polling agent was reportedly shot after confronting individuals attempting to cart away election materials.
A video circulating on social media showed the injured agent receiving treatment in a hospital shortly after the attack.
According to political commentator, Senator Chijinkem Ugwuanyi, who shared details of the incident on social media, the victim, popularly known as “Nwa Naija,” was attacked by armed thugs after trying to stop the ballot box from being taken away.
“Thugs shot a PRP agent at Ihe Obukpa Ward because he tried to resist ballot box snatching,” Ugwuanyi wrote.
“They have been snatching ballot boxes across Enugu North because of the massive loss to the PRP senatorial candidate, Dr. Ugo Ugwuanyi.”
Ugwuanyi said the injured party agent was rushed to a hospital in the neighbouring Ovoko community, where he is receiving treatment.
“The guy they shot is popularly known as Nwa Naija,” he added.
He further alleged that some of those who led the attack were indigene of Obukpa.
“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 stated.
The shooting was one of several incidents reported during the by-election.
Earlier, a video circulating on social media showed a man identified by residents as an APC political thug allegedly directing voters at Eluagu Obukpa Polling Unit in Obukpa Ward to leave the polling unit if they were unwilling to vote for the ruling Party’s candidate.
In the video, the man was heard speaking on the telephone, saying: “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 triggered outrage among residents and opposition supporters, who described it as an open attempt to intimidate voters and compromise the integrity of the electoral process.
In a separate incident, a PDP polling agent identified simply as Justice accused the Enugu State Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Enyinna Franklin Ogbonna, of leading a violent attack against him in Ogwu community, Obollo Afor, Udenu Local Government Area.
The allegations come amid growing concerns over the conduct of the Enugu North Senatorial District bye-election, with reports of violence and voter intimidation surfacing from multiple polling units across the district.
