WASTAGE OF PUBLIC FUNDS: DISCONTENT MOUNTS OVER ENUGU LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTION AS RESTRICTIONS SHUT DOWN BUSINESSES FOR A CORONATION PROCESS

The decision of the Enugu State Government and the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) to enforce a total shutdown of economic activities for the Local Government elections has sparked outrage among traders, transport operators, and daily wage earners across the state.

​Under orders from the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, and the State Police Command, human and vehicular movements were restricted between 6:00 AM and 4:00 PM, forcing shops, markets, and private enterprises to close their doors.

The economic confinement of Ndi Enugu comes against the backdrop of an electoral process that critics argue lacks genuine democratic competition. Major opposition groups, including the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), formally withdrew from the ballot, citing ENSIEC's refusal to issue official electoral materials and its deliberate exclusion of non-ruling parties from pre-election preparations.

​Civic organizations and political analysts point out that spending millions in tax revenues to finance a election—where outcomes are decided well before the first ballot is cast—represents a reckless waste of public funds. Depriving struggling citizens of their daily earnings through enforced lockouts for an uncompetitive selection exercise exposes a government increasingly detached from the economic realities of the people. Ndi Enugu deserve transparency, prudent resource management, and the unhindered freedom to pursue their lawful livelihoods without state-sponsored economic disruptions.