Bright Ngene, a prison inmate, has been declared the winner of the Enugu South 1 State Constituency rerun election. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officially confirmed his victory on August 20, 2025, bringing an end to a prolonged and tumultuous rerun process.

Despite currently serving a seven-year sentence at Enugu Prison following a community development fund dispute, Ngene’s win stands valid in the eyes of the law. INEC’s national commissioner and Chairman of the Information & Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, announced the result after repeated delays and disruptions marred the rerun earlier this year.

The rerun has been fraught with challenges—from violence and thuggery to ballot inconsistencies—resulting in several failed attempts since February 2024. Last Saturday’s election finally met the criteria for result declaration, leading INEC to declare Ngene the winner in the end.

His closest rival, Sam Ngene of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was defeated by a margin exceeding 3,000 votes, according to reports.

INEC confirmed that Certificates of Return will be issued—first in Abuja for National Assembly winners on August 21, followed by state office presentations for House of Assembly winners, including Bright Ngene, on August 22.