The last has not been heard of who won the Okigwe zone senate seat as INEC opens up on the matter. Apparently expecting to be heard on its decision, INEC through Rotimi Oyekanmi, Chief Press Secretary to the Chairman of the INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu said that the Commission will respect court judgments because it doesn’t disobey courts.
It would be recalled that the Appeal Court in a unanimous decision by a three-man panel of Justices, affirmed the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja which ordered the INEC to remove Ibezim’s name from the list of candidates for the by-election after it found him guilty of submitting falsified documents.
In a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1229/2020, filed against Ibezim by Asomugha Ebeleke, the trail Judge, Inyang Ekwo had in the judgment delivered on December 4, 2020 disqualified Ibezim for making false declaration in his affidavit and documents he tendered to INEC and APC.
Read Also: Imo North Senatorial by-election: Ibezim Disqualified As APC’s Candidate
Ibezim was said to have presented falsified and uncertified photocopies of his West African Examinations Council, WAEC, certified. Justice Ekwo said Ibezim’s certificate contained different and irreconcilable names, namely, Chukwuma Frank and Ibezim Francis Chukwuma. Ibezim appealed the case and lost on Saturday 6, 2021. Justice Stephen Adah of the Appeal Court said he found no reason to interfere with the verdict of the trail court and so dismissed Ibezim’s appeal.
Before now, Supreme Court had said Ibezim was APC winner of the ticket.
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