INEC meets today on Okorocha, Bauchi federal lawmakers, others certificate of returns

By Tunde Opalana, Abuja

Immediate past governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha will know his fate over his senatorial ambition as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) today meet to consider various court judgments and orders on issuance of Certificates of Return to elected persons during the 2019 general election.

Also will the Commission among others examine court order directing it to issue Certificate of Returns to a senatorial candidate and House of Representatives candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Bauchi State.

The commission was expected to obey the court directive on the issuance of Certificate of Return for Imo West Senatorial District election.

A Federal High Court, Abuja, presided over by Justice Okon Abang had on May 23 ordered INEC to issue certificate of return to former Governor of Imo, Rochas Okorocha, as the Senator-elect for Imo West Senatorial District.

INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Barr. Festus Okoye hinted that the commission tarries to take decision on the court judgements because its National Commissioners supervising state level review on the 2019 general elections are just returnning to Abuja.

Okoye said “the Commission will meet tomorrow (Tuesday) regarding judgments and orders served on it from various courts of law.

“The Commission has not taken any decision relating to the matter you alluded to.

“The Commission may deal with all such issues and other pending ones tomorrow.

“National commissioners supervising State Level Review of the 2019 Elections returned to Abuja on Monday to clear all pending judgments and orders before heading back to their states of supervision,” Okoye said.

Also an FCT High Court on May 16 had ordered INEC to issue certificates of return to one Senator and five House of Representatives members elected under the platform the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bauchi State, who came second in the affected elections.

The court on Friday refused to grant an application for Stay of Execution of its judgement, which nullified the election of the affected senatorial district and five Federal Constituencies under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bauchi state.

The court had declared as null and void, the publication of the names of APC candidates as winners of the National Assembly election in the affected constituencies.