By BREAKING! COURT ORDERS INEC TO ISSUE CERTIFICATE OF RETURN TO ROCHAS OKOROCHA
Relief has come the the way of embattled former Governor governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha as a Federal High Court in Abuja moments ago ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to issue him a Certificate of Return as the duly elected Senator representing Orlu Imo West Senatorial district of Imo State.
Justice Okon Abang ruled that the decision to deprive Okorocha of the certificate was “lawless.”
BlackBox Nigeria learnt that Abang held that only the returning officer of INEC had the constitutional authority to declare a winner.
He held that any person declared a winner by the returning officer remains a winner until petitioners succeed in upturning the declaration at the election tribunal.
The court further ruled that Mr Okorocha had no business being the originator of the petition at the election tribunal.
Justice Abang, who ruled that the federal high court had exclusive jurisdiction to decide on the matter, described INEC’s decision as “lawless and a complete nullity.”
BlackBox Nigeria recalls that the electoral body had said it refused to give Okorocha certificate of return after the returning officer for Imo West senatorial district said he was compelled to declare Okorocha winner.
