A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to declare Chief Ifeanyi Araraume as the winner of the December 5, 2020, bye-election for the Imo North Senatorial District of Imo state.
Delivering judgment, Justice Taiwo Taiwo held that Chief Araraume remained the authentic candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the election as at today and should be declared winner of that election.
Justice Taiwo also ordered the electoral body to issue Certificate of Return to Chief Araraume within 72 hours from the delivery of the judgment for him to be formally inaugurated by the President of the Senate.
The Judge dimissed the preliminary objection filed by the APC and one Chukwuma Ibezim challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain Ararume’s suit.
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The Judge held that the objection lacked merit because Ibezim being purported by APC as its candidate in the by-election had been disqualified by a Federal High Court and later Court of Appeal for supplying false information to INEC to secure clearance for participation in the election.
Chief Araraume had through his counsel, Chief Ahmed Raji, told the court to invoke the judgment of a Federal High Court and that of the Court of Appeal, to disqualify Ibezim and declare him as the rightful candidate of the APC in the said by-election.
