Court Orders INEC To Stop Plans Of Issuing Okorocha Certificate Of Return

A high court in Imo state has stopped the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from issuing a certificate of return to Rochas Okorocha as a senator-elect for Imo west senatorial district.

This is as INEC is considering to take a final decision on the back and forth issue, following a federal high court ruling in Abuja, Naija News reports.

However, Ngozi Ukoha, the judge of the high court in her ruling on Tuesday, restrained INEC from  “departing from its decision not to issue a certificate of return in respect of Imo west senatorial district election.”

The judge gave the order while ruling on an application filed by Osita Izunaso of the All Progressives Grand Alliances (APGA), pending the determination of the motion on notice challenging the victory of Okorocha who is of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

A copy of the judgment dated Tuesday, June 11, is the latest court order on the issue, after that of the federal high court and a May 23 order from the high court of Imo directing INEC not to issue a certificate of return to any of the candidates in the election.

The commission had declined Okorocha the Certificate following the returning officer’s confession that he declared that Okorocha won, under duress.

But INEC said it would consider the order of the federal high court, Abuja, which asked it to issue the certificate to Okorocha.

INEC is expected to announce its decision on the matter later on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Okorocha did not participate in the election of the 9th Senate President which held earlier today as he was refused the right and accreditation to do so.