Certificate of return: Okorocha to know fate on Friday

A date has been fixed by the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday for judgment on a suit filed by the immediate-past governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha.

Okorocha is challenging the Independent National Electoral Commission’s refusal to issue him a certificate of return as the senator-elect for the Imo West Senatorial District.

The suit filed by the former governor asks the court to declare that INEC acted in error when it refused to recognise him as the winner of the senatorial election.

INEC refused to issue Okorocha the certificate of return even after the Returning Officer had declared him the winner of the election.

INEC has asked the court to dismiss the suit.

Back in March, the former governor cried out over the refusal to grant him his certificate of return.

“I cannot understand how a mere allegation of somebody, an individual, talking about duress, which has not been proven by anybody, will stop INEC from giving me my certificate of return for an election that I won properly.

“I cannot understand why an individual’s report of a professor who lied, will now be taken more than the report by the Nigeria Police, State Security Service, that said there was no crisis, everything was peaceful. The returning officer should be called to order.”