Opposition kicks as APC’s Asogwa leads in Enugu North bye-election
The opposition parties are already kicking like hell as more results show APC’s Ikeje Asogwa leading in the Enugu North by-election. Asogwa, who had voted earlier today, is winning in 669 out of the 703 polling units already announced.
No one would have expected otherwise. With the full weight of robust, well-funded party machine behind him, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has stayed far ahead of six other contenders from the beginning. And there are other numerous hurdles bedevilling the opposition, including organisational impasses which have since tightened the bottleneck for possible victory. Besides, Ikeje Asogwa is revered and deeply rooted in the ecosystem of Enugu political establishment.
“At this moment, my prayer is that no life is lost in this election. It is not worth it. And to those mocking innocent victims and supporting this evil: remember that the evil you cheer today can consume you tomorrow,” Mr Nestor Ezeme, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), senatorial candidate for the bye-election posted on Facebook few minutes ago.
The apparent admission of defeat reflects the usual patterns of Enugu opposition. Ezeme is not different. Since morning, he has issued series of video clips and posts, all showing he believed the election was rigged and that the security agencies as well as the electoral body were compromised.
Even the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) is also saying it is the winner. To many observers, NDC’s position is laughable and theirs are child-like allegations.
NDC is in pieces and in shambles. Few days before the Enugu North polls – on Thursday – stakeholders of the party in the zone issued a public rebuttal, rejecting their candidate, Oscar Osai.
“On behalf of all the aggrieved aspirants in NDC from Enugu-North Senatorial District, we reject the result of the purported primary election”, the party said.
The senatorial seat for Enugu North became vacant following the death of Okey Ezea in November 2025. Ezea of Labour Party won the seat with 104,492 votes, defeating the sitting Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi who came a distant second with 46,948 votes.
The district has six local government areas, with 1,488 polling units spread across 102 wards.