Follow Us on Google
Vows to challenge Federal High Court ruling, insists mandate remains intact
______________________________________________________________________
From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) senatorial candidate for Enugu West Senatorial District, Hon. Uche Kingsley Eneh, has declared that the political liberation of the district cannot be defeated by litigation, intimidation or political manoeuvres, insisting that his mandate remains firm despite the recent judgment of the Federal High Court concerning the party’s senatorial primary election.
Eneh, in a press statement, said he respected the judiciary and its constitutional responsibility but maintained that the ruling was not the final determination of the political aspirations of the people of Enugu West.
He disclosed that he would pursue appropriate appellate remedies, expressing confidence that the appellate process would provide another opportunity for the issues in contention to be properly examined.
“We firmly believe that the appellate process will provide another opportunity for the issues in contention to be properly examined and for the cause of justice to prevail,” he stated.
In a strongly worded statement, the NDC candidate maintained that the struggle for political transformation in Enugu West transcended the ongoing legal battle, describing it as a broader movement against what he called an entrenched political order that had failed to unlock the district’s full potential.
“Let me, however, make one thing abundantly clear: The political liberation of Enugu West cannot be extinguished by litigation, intimidation or orchestrated distractions,” Eneh declared.
He accused certain political interests of sustaining a system that allegedly prioritised occasional handouts and cosmetic empowerment programmes over sustainable development, economic opportunities and genuine political representation.
According to him, the people of Enugu West deserve more than temporary interventions and political charity.
“They would rather preserve a system in which the people periodically receive crumbs than embrace a new order in which they can demand accountability, equitable development, economic opportunities and genuine representation,” he said.
“Enugu West deserves more than political charity. Our people deserve political power that translates into prosperity, dignity and measurable development.”
Eneh also expressed concern over what he described as attempts by some media publications to elevate relatively unknown political actors into authoritative voices on the affairs of the NDC.
He cautioned journalists against allowing their platforms to be used for political propaganda, urging the media to distinguish between genuine political developments and what he termed calculated attempts to create confusion and undermine public confidence.
“Journalism must not become an instrument for laundering political propaganda or amplifying the interests of those who have found convenient allies in the ruling establishment,” he warned.
Reaffirming his determination to defend his political mandate through lawful means, Eneh insisted that his respect for democratic institutions should not be mistaken for weakness or surrender.
“Let nobody mistake our restraint for weakness, our commitment to due process for surrender, or our respect for democratic institutions for an inability to defend our mandate,” he said.
He further described the mandate as a collective political trust rooted in the aspirations of the people rather than a personal political possession.
“Our mandate is not a personal possession; it is a political trust founded on the aspirations of the people. We shall do everything within the law to protect it,” he added.
The NDC candidate urged supporters and residents of Enugu West not to panic or lose confidence over the court judgment, assuring them that his political ambition and commitment to the district’s transformation remained unchanged.
He said the struggle was not merely about occupying a senatorial seat but about challenging political entitlement, dismantling structures of exclusion and establishing a new model of representation that prioritises the welfare of the people.
“We are not in this struggle merely to occupy a political office. We are here to challenge a culture of political entitlement, dismantle the structures of exclusion and establish a new standard of representation that places the welfare of the people above the convenience of political godfathers,” Eneh stated.
He further clarified that the liberation movement was not targeted at individuals but against a political system which, according to him, had denied the people meaningful participation in determining their future.
“The liberation we seek is not against individuals; it is against a system that has made the people spectators in the affairs of their own future,” he said.
Despite the legal challenge, Eneh maintained that his political engagements would continue across the district, including consultations, community interactions and grassroots mobilisation.
“Let those who have chosen litigation as their political weapon proceed. We shall meet them in the appropriate courts, but we shall continue to meet the people in their communities, markets, villages and streets,” he declared.
He renewed his expression of confidence in his political movement, insisting that the struggle for a new political order in Enugu West would not be abandoned.
“We are not only confident of victory; we are determined to make victory meaningful to the people.”
“The struggle continues. The mandate shall be defended. The liberation of Enugu West shall prevail,” Eneh declared.
