Enugu South Bye-Election in Crisis: Minister Uche Nnaji Accused of Militarising Polling Units

Voice of the people -

 By The Voice Of The People 

The bye-election for the Enugu South Urban Constituency seat in the Enugu State House of Assembly has been thrown into turmoil after shocking reports of federal interference.


On Saturday morning, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chief Uche Nnaji, stormed polling centres across the constituency with a convoy of heavily armed policemen, soldiers, and suspected thugs. Witnesses say his presence sparked widespread panic, forcing genuine voters to abandon polling booths out of fear for their safety.


Polling Units Deserted


By 8 am, areas such as Uwani Secondary School and Robinson Street, which hosted eight polling units, were already under heavy security patrol. Eyewitnesses described an intimidating show of force, with men in combat gear openly displaying weapons.


Instead of the usual bustle of voters, the polling grounds soon became deserted. By 11 am, only a handful of Labour Party supporters—whom locals dismissed as “stage-managed protesters”—were present, while Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials sat idle with unused ballot materials.


Legal Breaches Cited


A lawyer residing in the constituency, who requested anonymity for safety reasons, described the minister’s actions as “a flagrant violation of the Electoral Act 2022.”


Section 126: Prohibits non-voters, party agents, or observers from loitering at polling centres.


Section 127: Outlaws undue influence in the electoral process.


Section 128: Criminalises voter intimidation.


Section 91: Bans the use of public resources for partisan ends.



According to him, Chief Nnaji’s presence was unlawful since he is not a registered voter in Enugu South Urban (he hails from Akpugo, Nkanu West LGA). Deploying federal security operatives, the lawyer argued, amounts to an abuse of office and misuse of state resources.


Public Outcry


Outrage is growing among residents. Elder Pascal Ani, who witnessed the incident, lamented:


> “Chief Uche Nnaji is not from here. He has no business being at our polling units. Yet he came parading with policemen and soldiers wielding frightening weapons. Everyone ran away. Today’s election has been ruined, and once again the people of Enugu South are left unrepresented.”


A Dangerous Precedent


Observers warn that this is more than just electoral misconduct—it is a direct assault on democracy. The militarisation of a simple b

ye-election undermines public trust in INEC, weakens the sanctity of the ballot, and sets a dangerous precedent for future elections.


The burning question now is: Why did a federal minister, with no stake in Enugu South Urban, intervene in such a forceful and intimidating way?


Until answers emerge, the constituency remains in limbo—its people silenced, its democratic choice suspended.


Elvis Uche Nnamchi stated.



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