Certificate of Return: Gov. Okorocha’s suit runs into hitch as Judge disqualify self
Andrew Orolua, Abuja
Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Wednesday hands off the suit filed by Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State seeking to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue him with Certificate of Return.
Okorocha had filed the suit against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) after the commission withheld his Certificate of Return on the ground that he allegedly forced the returning officer to announce him winner under duress.
The matter which was slated for hearing yesterday with the hope that the court could deliver judgment before the inauguration of the 9th National Assembly, thus allowing the plaintiff participate in the inaugural process became uncertain yesterday as the trial court judge Justice Taiwo Taiwo announced his withdrawal from hearing the suit .
He did not give any reason for the action, but added that the case file has been transferred to the Chief Judge for re – assignment.
The Daily Times however learnt that the judge withdrawal from the case was not unconnected with the application filed by candidate of the Peoples Democratic party (PDP) in the Imo West Senatorial election, Jones Onyeriri, requesting the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to transfer the suit to another judge, noting that he had lost confidence in the ability of the trial judge to hold the scale of Justice in the matter.
Onyeriri alleged that in the course of proceedings, the judge made utterances which clearly showed that he had taken sides in the matter.
Okorocha,in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/296/2019, had prayed the court for an order directing INEC to issue him Certificate of Return, bur six other interested parties applied and were joined as co defendants.
Besides INEC , other defendants are Hon. Jones Onyeriri of the PDP, Senator Osita Izunaso of APGA, Mr. Nwachukwu Clement of KOWA Party, Precious Nwadike of United Progressive Party, UPP, Dr. Uche Ibeh of Labour Party, and the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA.
