Victory in jail: Protesters storm lawyers conference over assembly member-elect jailed in Enugu state
The ongoing Nigerian Bar Association (NBA)’s annual general conference at the International Conference Centre in Enugu State on Monday received number of protesters who stormed the venue over the incarceration of Bright Ngene, the winner of the recent rerun election in Enugu South Urban State Constituency in the state.
Penpushing reports that the protesters, believed to be Ngene’s supporters, carried placards with inscriptions such as “NBA please help release Barr to represent his constituency,” “Say no to miscarriage of justice,” and “Free the people’s choice.”
The protesters led by Benedict Kachukwu said to be spokesperson of the group were moving around the conference venue, arguing that the continued incarceration of Ngene despite winning the rerun election from jail on August 16, 2025 amounted to grave injustice and a subversion of democracy.
“We are here to register our peaceful protest to tell the world what has been happening in Enugu State for the past one year. Since 28 July 2024, Hon. Bright Emeka Ngene, who won the House of Assembly seat for Enugu South Urban, has been unjustly incarcerated’, Kachukwu said.
“(The) charges against him were baseless, judicial processes were not followed, and in less than two weeks, judgement was dispensed. Efforts to get the matter before the High Court have proved abortive as judges continue to recuse themselves, while the chief judge has refused to assign the case. This is the highest point of injustice meted out to anybody,” he lamented.
Penpushing further reports that the protesters accused the Enugu State judiciary of bowing to political pressure, alleging that unnamed officials of the Enugu State Government were behind Ngene’s prolonged imprisonment.
The protesters in their hundreds appealed to the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and lawyers attending the conference to intervene and ensure due process, stressing that they are not afraid going through the judicial process
“We are not afraid of going through the judicial process. No matter the judgement that comes, we will accept it in good faith. But up till now, the case has been in a comatose (state) at the High Court. All we are asking is that the judiciary be allowed to do its job’, Kachukwu added.
Penpushing also reports that the peaceful protest drew the attention of some conference delegates and passersby along the busy road leading to the conference venue.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), last Tuesday, declared Ngene of the Labour Party (LP) as the winner of the rerun election held in the constituency, despite serving a jail term in Enugu State.
Penpushing reports that it would be recalled that an Enugu South Magistrate Court had sentenced Ngene to seven years’ imprisonment on July 28, 2024 over a communal crisis, while his victory at the rerun election despite being in jail came after third consecutive disruptions of previous elections since February 2024.
The lawmaker-elect was billed to receive his certificate of return from Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on August 22, 2025, but did not do so because of his incarceration.
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