Why Court Ordered INEC To Prosecute Ifeanyi Ubah

A federal high court in Awka, Anambra state capital on Thursday ordered INEC to prosecute Ifeanyi Ubah, senator-elect of Anambra-south and M.N Umenweke, the returning officer, because of criminal allegations levelled against them in the February 23 election.

Naija News gathered that the order followed an application sought from the court by Chris Ubah, the senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), for the election.

Chris Ubah had, among others, asked for “A further order of mandamus compelling the 1st Respondent to prosecute the second (Prof MN Umenweke) for announcing or publishing a false result to the effect that the 3rd Respondent had won the election held on the said 23/2/2019 even when they both knew that the said election was inconclusive and from which no genuine result had thereby been generated.”

In the order, Justice Gafai asked the INEC to conduct an investigation into the matter within 14 days for the purpose of prosecuting the respondents.

“Upon the honourable court having delivered a considered judgement today, it hereby ordered as follows: The 1st Respondent (INEC) shall within 14 days from today conduct or cause investigation into the criminal allegations of the Applicant (Chris Uba),” the judgement reads in part.

“Prosecute, if the investigation result so warrants, the third Respondent (Ifeanyi Ubah) and any other person(s) implicated in its investigation.

“Where it considers it inexpedient to prosecute through its legal officers, consider at its liberty, the appointment of the Applicant’s solicitors in this suit for the purpose of such prosecution.”

Naija News recalls that Ubah had won the senatorial election under the platform of the Young Peoples Party (YPP) but defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday.