Name variation insufficient to disqualify me, says Ibezim
THE All Progressives Congress ( APC) candidate in the Imo North Senatorial by- election last December, Frank Ibezim, has faulted the Appeal Court’s validation of his disqualification by the Federal High Court, Abuja.
Ibezim was reacting to the appellate court’s unanimous decision affirming the judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) to remove his name from the list of candidates for the byelection.
He told The Guardian, yesterday, that name variation should not be enough reason to disqualify him; hence he would pursue the case to its logical conclusion, as he had briefed his lawyers to approach the Supreme Court.
The High Court judgment followed a suit marked FHC/ ABJ/ CS/ 1229/ 2020, which was filed against Ibezim by Asomugha Elebeke.
The trial judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo, had in the judgment delivered on December 4, 2020, barely 24 hours to the by- election, disqualified Ibezim for allegedly making false statements/ declarations in the affidavit and documents he tendered to both the APC and INEC.
The court held that evidence before it showed that Ibezim presented falsified and uncertified photocopies of his West African School Certificate ( WASC). Specifically, Justice Ekwo discovered that the WASC submitted by Ibezim bore two different names: Ibezim Chukwuma Frank and Ibezim Francis Chukwuma.
The court, therefore, held that Ibezim was “not qualified/ eligible for nomination to contest the Imo North Senatorial by- election, having made false declarations in the affidavit and certificates he submitted to INEC for the purpose of contesting the by- election, and the irreconcilable conflicts in his names.”
THE burial rites of Deaconess Lucy Bolajoko Ayejunikanwa ( Nee Megbontowon), aged 97 begins on February 11, 2021 with a Christian wake keep by 5. p. m at No. 9, Araromi Street, Igbotako, Okitipupa Local Government Area, Ondo State.
Burial service holds on February 12, at same venue by 9. a. m and at Christ Apostolic Church Oke- Anu Opposite Police Station by 11. a. m.
Reception follows at Lubokun Comprehensive High School. The event would also be on zoom with the ID: 6073105824 and Passcode: 61Cgy0.