The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Friday, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to immediately issue the certificate of return to the immediate-past Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, as the senator-elect for the Imo West Senatorial District.
Justice Okon Abang made this order in his judgment on the suit filed by Okorocha to challenge INEC’s decision to withhold his certificate of return after he was declared the winner of February 23, 2019, National Assembly election in the Imo West Senatorial District.
INEC had based its decision to withhold the certificate of return on the grounds that its Returning Officer who presided over the election complained to it that he declared the results under duress.
But the judge, who described INEC’s action as lawless and arbitrary, held in that Okorocha having been declared the winner of the election, INEC no longer had any legal authority to withhold the certificate of return due to him. Read more