The All Progressives Congress (APC) has been declared winner of December 5 Senatorial byelection in Imo North Senatorial district without fielding a candidate.
The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC said the decision not to declare any candidate winner was due to several court orders authenticating the true candidate of the party in the byelection
However, the returning officer, Hakeem Adigun announced that the APC scored a total of 36,811 to beat the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Emmanuel Okewulonu who scored 31,903 votes.
The Imo North Senatorial byelection was marred by court cases.
The Court of Appeal in Owerri, had barely 24 hours to election, disqualified Senator Ifeanyi Ararume of the APC from contesting the election and replaced him Chukwuma Francis Ibezim.
In the same manner, the same day,A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja disqualified Ibezim , leaving the APC with no candidate in the election.
Ibezim was disqualified by Justice Eyang Ekwo for making false statements and declaration on his affidavit and documents.
Speaking to journalists afterwards, the governor of Imo state, Hope Uzodinma expressed delight over the APC victory saying it goes to show that Imo is an APC state.
He however, said that while he would not join issues with INEC over declaring the candidate, with the Court of Appeal judgement affirming Ibezim and the statement of the APC National Caretaker Committee, he had no doubt that Ibezim is APC’S authentic candidate.
wow this is interesting.