Enugu State Guber/State Assembly Elections: Behold! Journalist’s Bitter Experience 

FROM OUR POLITICAL DESK(ENUGU)

I was an Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC accredited Media Agent during the last Enugu State House of Assembly and Governorship elections. I covered the Enugu East Local Government Area of Enugu State. I was privileged of moving from one polling station to the other, aimed at monitoring what transpired during the elections in the comfort of a hired Keke NAPEP (Tricycle) because of the vehicular movement restriction. With the election duty sticker, I was able to move around unhindered.

My first port of call was Central School, Emene where I incidentally cast my votes. It was a smooth and pleasant experience since INEC officials and electoral materials arrived very early unlike what happened during the Presidential and National Assembly Elections. 

Even though there was little presence of security officers, only three  Police officers and four Road Safety officers were stationed at the Polling station of six polling booths, which was grossly inadequate considering the number of voters at the center. 

I voted at exactly 8.45 am but by 9.00 am voters had started arriving at the center in their numbers. On the arrival of a group of young men numbering over twenty, the place changed for the worst and became rowdy.  

While some of them were shouting LP, Obi Nwannem, others were busy canvassing for votes for Labour Party candidates. As an unbiased Media Agent, I tried to remind them that time for Campaign was over and that their actions were against the Electoral Laws, instead of heeding my advice, they threatened to deal with and throw me out of the place even with my INEC accredited media tag on my neck.

My attempt at calling the attention of the security men on duty was rebuffed, instead, I was accused of creating a problem with a threat to send me out of the place. Ironically, the majority of those young men did not cast any vote, they were just there to foment trouble. The few security officers on duty did not do anything maybe because of fear since they were outnumbered or compromised. 

Counting the votes was a bigger problem. Most votes for any other party except LP were said to be invalid. Attempts by INEC officials to prove otherwise were resisted. 

At a point, a female INEC official was forced to bring a copy of the Electoral Manual but they didn’t budge. Rejection of glaring invalid votes made for the Labour Party was vehemently resisted. In some cases, they had their ways. Agents of the other parties had no voice since they were outnumbered.

It was a more frightening experience at the Local Government Collation Centre, (Nkwor Nike). At first, Party Agents, the Media, and Stakeholders that had any business at the Centre were allowed easy entrance into the venue but things changed for the worse with the arrival of a reinforcement of stern-looking soldiers who beat and flogged people at will without any form of provocation. 

Even the Speaker of Enugu State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Edward Ubosi received a raw deal in the hands of the soldiers. He was stopped at the gate of the Local Government Headquarters and was ordered to leave the place. The act of harassment and intimidation by the overzealous soldiers didn’t stop there, they ‘frog-jumped’, kicked, and flogged people who were already inside before their arrival.  

.Yours sincerely even with my media tag around my neck was flogged in my attempt to explain my mission and duty. Enugu East LGA chairman, Hon. Livinus Nzeh Anike was ordered to come down from his office.

Ironically, while a serving House of Representatives Member, representing Enugu East/ Isiuzo Federal Constituency, Hon. Cornelius Nnaji was not allowed entry into the Collation Area, the newly elected LP House of Representatives Member-Elect was given free entry into the venue and was even escorted into the Collation Area.

I finally ran for my dear life when a young man cladded in ox-blood traditional caftan whom I suspected to be the leader of the soldiers ordered his men to kill any person that harasses any Labour Party official.