Imo North: Court orders INEC to issue Ararume certificate of return
AFederal High Court in Abuja has affirmed the election of Ifeanyi Ararume as candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the December 5, 2020 Imo North Senatorial District election.
Justice Taiwo Taiwo, on Thursday, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue certificate of return to Ararume within 72 hours from the delivery of the judgment.
Justice Taiwo had earlier dismissed the preliminary objection challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain Ararume’s suit filed by the APC and Frank Ibezim.
Ararume’s counsel, Ahmed Raji (SAN) had told the judge to invoke the judgments of a Federal High Court and that of the Appeal Court which had earlier disqualified Ibezim and declare him as the rightful candidate of the APC.
The APC had won the senatorial election without any candidate following the dispute over alleged false information by the preferred candidate, Ibezim.
APC polled 36,811 votes against 31,903 votes by the PDP candidate, Emmanuel Okewulonu, in the six local governments of Obowo, Okigwe, Onuimo, Isiala Mbano, Ehime Mbano and Ihitte Uboma.
Meanwhile,
Rochas
Senator Okorocha (APC, Imo West) has congratulated Ararume, describing the victory as well deserving.
Okorocha, in a statement signed by his Special Adviser (Media), Sam Onwuemeodo, said with Ararume in the Senate, lmo State would now have two APC senators out of the three from the state.
He urged Ararume to carry everybody in his senatorial district along, not minding the political parties or political camps they all belonged.