BREAKING: Fresh Twist As APC Wins Imo North By-election Without Candidate

Hamilton Nwosa
Writer

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the December 5 Imo North senatorial by-election on Saturday.

While declaring the result today, the returning officer in the senatorial by-election,  Mr Hakeem Adikum, said  the APC polled a total of 36, 811 votes, with PDP  trailing behind in a second position with 31,903 votes.

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However, the INEC did not return a candidate from the APC as a political party.  Mr Adikum in his pronouncement declared that APC won in five out of six Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the senatorial district with the PDP coming second having won  the valid number of votes only in Obowo LGA.APC Wins Imo North

According to the INEC returning officer,  Adikum the LGAs  triumphantly won by the APC are as follows; Okigwe, Onuimo, Isiala Mbano, Ehime Mbano, and Ihitte Uboma LGAs.

He said; “I hereby return the All Progressive Congress as the winner of the by-election held in Imo North on Saturday, Dec. 5.”

Speaking further on the subject matter, the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Imo state, Prof. Francis Ezeonu ruled that the commission was unable to return a candidate from the APC as winner based on existing dynamics.

Predicating on his pronouncement  on multiple court cases and conflicting court judgements,  the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner said  on the basis of “several Court orders” for and against the two major contenders, Frank Ibezim and Ifeanyi Araraume, it is inappropriate at this material time to declare either of them the winner of the election.

He said that two Court judgments had emerged on Friday, a few hours to the Senatorial by-election. While the first of the judgment came from the Federal High Court sitting in Owerri, the second was obtained  from the Federal High Court, Abuja.

In the meantime, it would be recalled  that the Court of Appeal  sitting in Owerri had brought in a twist in the judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja which had nullified the candidacy of Chief Ibezim and declared him the APC candidate while ousting Senator Araraume as APC candidate, a few hours to the by- election.

It would be recalled that the Federal High Court in Abuja in declaring Senator Ararume as the candidate of the APC noted that Chief Ibezim presented fake certificates to the APC and INEC respectively during his clearance and primary phases.

But  a fresh twist emerged again to counter that Abuja judgement as the Court of Appeal Sitting in Owerri again restored the candidacy of Chief  Ibezim  as the APC authenticate candidate for Saturday’s Okigwe North Senatorial By-Election.

Recall that in an unanimous judgement, the three Justices of the Court of Appeal maintained that  Chief Ibezim’s Appeal was valid  and accordingly upheld it while at the same time quashing  the Judgment of the Federal High Court earlier delivered on the 6th November, 2020 in favour of Senator Ararume.

Some legal  analysts  say with  this latest development, INEC ought to have restored the candidacy of Chief Frank Ibezim as the  validly nominated  APC candidate for the Okigwe North Senatorial by-election.

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