The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reacted to the Friday, June 7 court ruling on Imo West Senatorial election, Igbere TV reports.
Igbere TV had reported that a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Friday ruled that Rochas Okorocha, immediate past Governor of Imo State, be awarded his Certificate of Return as a Senator.
“In view of the import and directives of the said judgement, the Commission will meet as soon as practicable to do the needful,” INEC National Commissioner on Information and Voter Education, Festus Okoye, said in a statement.
Igbere TV reports that INEC has refused to acknowledge Okorocha’s victory in the February 23 Senatorial election because the Returning Officer was made to announce the result ‘under duress.’
Also, an Imo State High Court upheld INEC’s decision not to issue Okorocha a Certificate of Return to acknowledge his victory as the Senator for Imo West Senatorial District.
But declaring judgment on Friday, Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja ruled that INEC has no reason not to issue Okorocha Certificate of Return.
“Once a declaration is made and returns thereafter, INEC becomes funtus officio and has no power under any law to withhold certificate of returns,” he said.
However, INEC reminded the court that while it ruled that Okorocha’s Certificate of Return be issued to him, the hearing of the case is still on and adjourned till June 26 at the State High Court.
“The Commission is also aware of and has been served with the Order of a High Court of Imo State, presided over by Hon. Justice Njemanze, directing the Commission not to issue a Certificate of Return to any of the candidates that contested the Imo West Senatorial District election. The Order from the High Court of Imo State was issued on 23rd May 2019 and the suit has been further adjourned to 26th June 2019.”
Okoye said the commission is currently undertaking “State-level reviews of the 2019 general elections and all the National Commissioners are either in or heading to their States of Supervision to coordinate activities relating” to the review of the election.
On the Returning Officer that announced the election result under ‘duress’, Okoye said, “the Commission is worried that if electoral impunity is allowed to flourish, any individual can harass, intimidate and put the Commission’s officers under duress, procure a favourable declaration and be rewarded with a Certificate of Return.”
The INEC National Commissioner commended the Abuja High Court and assured Nigerians that “the Commission will continue to obey judgements of all courts of competent jurisdiction.”
