More Troubles For Gov Okorocha, Challenges INEC’s De-listing As Senator-elect
BY EDMOND ODOK, ABUJA – Few hours after his son-in-law and anointed candidate lost the Imo State governorship race, Owelle Rochas Okorocha political foray into National Assembly has ran into another brick-wall
But competent sources confirmed that the embattled Imo State Governor has already briefed his counsel, preparatory to mount a robust legal challenge against what his camp described as an illegal act being perpetrated by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The sources said Okorocha is seeking the court’s intervention in directing the Prof Mahmood Yakubu led-Commission to issue him with the Certificate of return as the duly elected Senator representing Imo West in the National Assembly.
In de-listing the Imo State Governor from the published names of Senators-elect on its website, our sources said the electoral umpire’s decision is in line with its threat to deny Certificate of return to political actors who harassed and intimidated its officials and adhoc-staff during the just-concluded general elections.
INEC’s non-recognition of Governor Okorocha as Senator-elect became public with his name conspicuously missing in Box 47 on the published list on Monday, March 11, 2019. Instead, the electoral umpire printed on that spot a worrying memo: ‘Declaration made under duress’.
The Returning officer for the National Assembly poll held on 23 February, Professor I. Ibeabuchi, had while announcing results of the Imo West Senatorial district, said he was ‘forced’ to declare Owelle Okorocha as winner of the election.
Ibeabuchi claimed that Okorocha’s supporters held him hostage at the collation centre and insisted on the results being fully announced before leaving for Oweri, the Imo State capital.
The Commission will on Thursday, March 14 in Abuja present all senators-elect with certificates of return, warning that those whose names have not been published on the official list are not invited to the ceremony.
According to INEC; “Only members-elect as listed on the Commission’s website are invited to the ceremony.”
On the list of invitees to the event, holding at the Africa Hall, International Conference Centre (ICC), Abuja at 9.30 am, are 63 Senators elected on the APC platform; 37 PDP Senators and one Young Progressives Party (YPP) Senator
The Nigerian Senate has 109 members of the Senate, the upper chamber of the legislature. INEC indicated that supplementary elections would be conducted in seven out of the yet-to-be-filled slots.
For now, the Commission is yet to make any categorical statement on the status of the Imo West Senatorial contest involving Governor Okorocha and PDP’s candidate John Onyeriri.
However, for the Bauchi South Senatorial district, INEC said it is awaiting the court ruling to determine the authentic APC candidate to occupy the seat in Nigeria’s upper legislative chamber.
Meanwhile, for ease of authentic identification of Senators-elect, the Commission has directed all those listed to attend the event with their driver’s licence, national ID card, Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) or International passport.
Also, the Commission will later on the same day, be issuing certificates of return to elected members of the House of Representatives at the same venue. – With agency reports
