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Tag: Okorocha

  • Alleged N15b fraud:  EFCC kicks as Okorocha seeks ex parte order to stop probe

    Following an ex parte order stopping the ongoing investigation of the Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas, the Economic and Financial Crimes (EFCC) has petitioned the National Judicial Council (NJC) and the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court Justice Abdul Kafarati.

    The anti-graft agency has asked the NJC and Justice Kafarati to review the conduct of the trial judge, Justice Taiwo O. Taiwo of the Federal High Court on alleged obstruction of investigation of some high profile cases.

    Justice Taiwo had granted a similar order staying action on the investigation of the Senate President Bukola Saraki.

    Also, Saraki’s counsel, Sunday Onubi, before Justice Taiwo has coincidentally appeared for Okorocha to secure a similar ex-parte order.

    It was also learnt that a former Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayo Fayose, obtained an order which delayed his trial.

    But the EFCC will today engage in legal battle with Okorocha to vacate the ex parte order when the case comes up.

    Okorocha is under investigation for alleged N15 billion fraud, including N8billion London-Paris Club refund;   alleged N1.15billion contract scam;  alleged diversion of N2billion bailout fund for vote buying during the last general elections; and laundering of about N1.050 billion.

    No fewer than six top officials of the state, including the Accountant-General of Imo State, Mr. Uzoho Casmir had been interrogated by the EFCC.

    Casmir was before his appointment, a Director of Finance in Okorocha’s administration.

    Okorocha rushed to the Federal High Court, seeking a restraining order against the Attorney- General of the Federation (AGF), the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), the State Security Services (SSS), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices & Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Code of Conduct Bureau.

    But on May 8, 2019, the judge asked the EFCC to stay action on Okorocha’s probe, pending the hearing of his motion on notice.

    The order reads in part:  ”Upon this motion Ex-parte dated and filed on the 30th day of April, 2019 praying for the following reliefs:

    “An order directing the respondents by themselves, their servants, agents, privies or officers to stay all action in connection with the subject matter of this suit pending the hearing and determination of the Originating Motion on notice.

    ”And for such further or other orders as this honourable court may deem fit to make in the circumstances.

    ”Upon reading the affidavit in support of the motion ex-parte deposed to by Owelle Rochas Okorocha, male, Nigeria citizen of Imo State Liaison Office Abuja and filed at the court registry.

    “And after hearing Sunday Onubi Esq., for the Applicant move in terms of motion paper. It is hereby ordered as follows:

    “That an order is hereby made directing the respondents by themselves, their servants, agents, privies or officers to stay action in connection with the subject matter of this suit pending the hearing and determination of the Originating Motion on notice.

    ”That the respondents shall be served and they shall respond to the originating motion on notice if they so wish within five days of the service on them of the originating processes and the order of this court in compliance with the rules.”

    The EFCC, however, picked holes in the decision of the judge to grant an ex-parte order to Okorocha, Saraki and Fayose.

    A source said: “The EFCC has decided to protest to the NJC and the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to review the conduct of the judge, especially alleged abuse of ex-parte order.

    “The EFCC is kicking against the conduct of Justice Taiwo O. Taiwo granting ex parte orders restraining the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from performing its statutory functions.

    “We believe the order of Justice Taiwo O. Taiwo was seeking to abort a process that had started. It is really unfortunate that Okorocha, who is enjoying constitutional immunity, will still go to the Federal High Court to halt his investigation.

    ”We believe it is a well-established legal principle that no court has the power to stop the investigative powers of the EFCC or any agency established under the laws to investigate crimes.

    “This principle has received judicial pronouncements in a host of cases which include: ORJI UZOR KALU v Federal Republic of Nigeria (2016) LPELR-40108 (SC) 1 at pp. 15-16 paras. D-B; Attorney General of Anambra STATE v UBA 2005 15 NWLR (PT.947) 44 at 67, and OBIWUSI v EFCC (2018) LPELR-44536 (CA).

    “The EFCC is also of the opinion that the conduct of His Lordship, Hon. Justice Taiwo O. Taiwo is contrary to Rule 3.5 of the Revised Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which states that a Judicial Officer must avoid the power of issuing interim injunctions, ex parte.”

    The source said the EFCC was worried that Saraki and Fayose had enjoyed the same ex-parte comfort from the judge.

    The source added: “The EFCC is conducting investigation on allegations of corrupt practices by the Senate President, Olubukola Saraki whilst serving as the Executive Governor of Kwara State and also as the Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. In the course of the investigation, Senator Olubukola Saraki instituted two suits, essentially seeking to restrain the EFCC from performing its statutory duties and the matters were assigned to Hon. Justice Taiwo O. Taiwo.

    “Justice Taiwo O. Taiwo made two separate ex parte orders in the said cases on 14th May, 2019 restraining the EFCC from performing its statutory functions of carrying out criminal investigation pending the determination of the motions on notice.

    “We want the NJC and the CJ of the Federal High Court to look into judicial impropriety of Justice Taiwo O. Taiwo in matters concerning the EFCC.

    “In one of such instances, on the 24th day of June, 2016, the EFCC applied and secured an interim freezing order from the Federal High Court, Lagos Judicial Division wherein his Lordship, Hon. Justice M.B ldris (as he then was) ordered the Manager of Zenith Bank Plc to freeze bank accounts numbers 1003126654 and 9013074033, among others, operated by Mr. Ayodele Fayose pending the investigation and possible prosecution of the criminal case involving the accounts.

    “Ayodele Fayose subsequently instituted another suit in su1t no. FHC/AD/15/2016 at the Federal High Court, Ado-Ekiti Judicial Division, praying the court for an order directing the EFCC and Zenith Bank Plc to unfreeze and make the said accounts operational.

    ”Justice Taiwo O. Taiwo, despite being aware of the pendency of the matter before Honourable Justice M .B Idris and the order of His Learned brother freezing the account, ordered the EFCC and Zenith Bank Plc to unfreeze, unblock and make operational the said accounts thereby constituting himself as an appellate court over the decision of a court of coordinate jurisdiction.

    “It was however not surprising that the Court of Appeal, on appeal, held that Honourable Justice Taiwo O. Taiwo ought not to have done what he did.

    ”Furthermore, when the EFCC was conducting investigation on acts of corruption allegedly perpetrated by some officials of the Ekiti State Government, the Attorney-General of the State filed suit No. FHC/AD/CS/32/2016 against it and other persons. His Lordship, Honourable Justice Taiwo O. Taiwo on the 30th of January, 2018, in his judgment in the case, strangely granted wholesale, all the eight reliefs sought by the plaintiff in the suit which included perpetual injunctions retraining Ekiti State officials, Ekiti State House of Assembly and Banks in which the accounts of the Ekiti State Government were maintained from disclosing or making available to the EFCC any document, financial statement or information relating to the public funds and accounts of Ekiti State. This undoubtedly frustrated our investigation.”

    In the letter to Judtice Kafarati, Magu demanded the reassignment of all anti-graft cases before Justice Taiwo.

    He also urged the CJ to withdraw cases involving the Dr. Saraki and Okorocha from the judge.

    The commission, Magu said, has no confidence in Justice Taiwo to dispense justice impartially.

    The petition signed yesterday by Magu, accused the judge of recurring bias.

    The petition said in part: “The commission respectively requests Your Lordship to reassign the the above stated cases ( four cases involving Saraki and Okorocha) and all other cases pending before Honourable Justice Taiwo O. Taiwo in which it is involved to other judges of your Lordship’s court.

    “This application has become very necessary because of the commission’ slack of confidence in His Lordship’s impartiality to dispense justice in any matter concerning it.

    “The commission is conducting investigation on allegations  of corrupt practices by the Senate President, Olubukola Abubakar Saraki while he was the Executive Governor of Kwara State and also as the Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

    “It is also investigating Owelle Rochas Okorocha, the outgoing Executive Governor of Imo State for the same allegations of corrupt practices as the governor of the state.

    “Despite the established legal principle which has  received judicial pronouncements in a host of cases, particularly the cases  of Orji Uzor Kalu v. Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Attorney-General of Anambra State v. UBA, Justice Taiwo in all the four suits  by Saraki and Okorocha restrained the commission( among others) from performing its statutory functions of investigating them pending the determination of  the Originating Summons on Notice.

    “Particularly more worrisome is that the said orders were made ex-parte contrary to the acclaimed  judicial deprecation of abuse of ex- parte orders by the courts and Rule 3.5 of the Revised Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which states that: ‘A judicial officer must avoid the power of issuing  interim injunctions, ex parte.”

     

  • Okorocha: INEC lacks power to reverse my election

    Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha has said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) lacks the power to withhold his Certificate of Return or reverse his election after being declared winner of the Imo West senatorial election.

    This was contained in a petition filed at the commission by Okorocha.

    The petition, titled: “Need to Avert Abuse of Office and Political Corruption by my Political Opponents with the Active Collaboration of INEC’s Leadership in Clear Violation of the Law”, was addressed to INEC chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.

    INEC had refused to issue a Certificate of Return to Okorocha despite being announced winner of the election because the Returning Officer, Prof. Francis Ibeawuchi, said he declared Okorocha winner under duress.

    But the governor said going by the laws governing elections, since the election had been concluded and a winner announced, INEC had no right not to deny him a Certificate of Return.

    He added that if there were issues with the election after the announcement of a winner, recourse ought to be made to election tribunals.

    According to him, Section 285 (1) of the 1999 Constitution, states that “there shall be established for the Federation, one or more election tribunals, to be known as the National Assembly Elections Tribunal, which shall, to the exclusion of any court or tribunal, have original jurisdiction to hear and determine petitions as to whether (a) any person has been validly elected as a member of the national Assembly.”

    He also noted that Section 133 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) provides that “No election and return at an election under this Act shall be questioned in a manner other than by a petition complaining of an undue election or an undue return presented to the competent tribunal or court in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution or of this Act, and in which the person elected or returned is joined as a party”.

    Okorocha then asked where INEC derived the power to withhold Certificate of Return after a winner in an election had been announced.

    The governor stressed that by toeing this line, INEC “is setting a bad precedent which could make it deny anyone it does not approve of electoral victory, even when such person is the preference of the voting public”.

    Okorocha, who argued that INEC’s step was not known to law, advised the commission to seek redress in the law court rather than take laws into its own hands.

    He stated that INEC, in its counter-affidavit to his suit at the Federal High Court, did not mention any allegation to the fact that his declaration was made under duress.

    “In the replies filed by INEC to the petitions against me by Osita Izuanso, Jones Onyeyeri, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Uche Onyeoma Ibeh at the Election Tribunal in Owerri, INEC actually said my election was duly conducted and that the declaration and return made in my favour by the Returning Officer was voluntary and not due to any duress or coercion exerted on the Returning Officer.”

    He urged the commission to release his Certificate of Return and refrain from reducing the commission to a willing tool in the hands of political manipulators.

  • Judge withdraws from Okorocha’s certificate of return suit against INEC

    A judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja, Justice Taiwo Taiwo has withdrawn from a suit filed by Imo Governor Rochas Okorocha with which he sought to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue him with a certificate of return.

    INEC has failed to issue Okorocha a certificate of return weeks after declaring him winner of Imo West Senatorial District with the returning officer claiming to have acted under duress.

    The decision by Justice Taiwo to withdraw from the case was informed by allegation of bias raised against him by the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) in the February 23 National Assembly election – Jones Onyeriri and Senator Osita Izunaso.

    Onyeriri wrote petition to the court’s Chief Judge, querying the judge’s neutrality while Izunaso filed a motion, asking the judge to disqualify himself from further hearing the case on grounds of likelihood of being bias.

    Justice Taiwo, while announcing his withdrawal on Wednesday, said he would return the case file to the court’s Chief Judge for re-assignment to a new judge.

    Onyeriri , in his petition, accused the judge of making utterances in which he “clearly prejudged the substantive issues that will be resolved in this matter and clearly showed he has taken sides with the plaintiff (Okorocha).”

    In an affidavit deposed to by a lawyer, Chijioke Nzekwe, on his behalf, Onyeriri claimed the judge told INEC’s lawyer, Wendy Kuku that the electoral body was responsible for the problems associated with the election.

    He added: “’The honourable judge went further to say that he has read through the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) and found nothing therein that robs him of the jurisdiction to hear his suit.’

    Read Also: Igbo women chide INEC over Okorocha

    “This pronouncement shocked all the counsel who were present in court and even members of the public and press men, who were in the gallery because 2nd and 3rd defendant (INEC and Onyeriri) have notices of preliminary objection, challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear this matter.”

    Izunaso, in his motion on notice dated April 8, 2019, asked for an order transferring the suit to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court for re-assignment to any other judge of the court.

    In the motion, filed by his lawyer, Prince Orji Nwafor- Orizu, Isunso urged the judge to desist from further hearing the suit, on the grounds that “there is likelihood of bias on the part of this honourable court to continue to hear the suit as the honourable presiding Judge has expressed an opinion favourable to the plaintiff even without the hearing of the substantive suit.

    “The said utterances were made on April 5, 2019 which utterances clearly pre-judged the substantive issues that will be resolved in this matter and clearly showed that the Honourable presiding judge has taken sides with the plaintiff.”

  • Igbo women chide INEC over Okorocha

    Women in Imo State under the aegis of ‘Assembly of Concerned Igbo Women Leaders of Thought in Nigeria and the Diaspora,’ has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to release the Certificate  of Return to the winner of the Imo West senatorial election, Governor Rochas Okorocha, to avoid possible breakdown of law and order.

    The women advised the electoral umpire to stay away from partisan politics and adhere to the provisions of the constitution.

    The group also condemned what they described as the growing discrimination and resentment against the Southeast by the leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    They argued that the decision to exclude the Southeast from the sharing of leadership positions in the National Assembly, is a confirmation of a grand plot against the zone ahead the 2023 general  elections.

    Rising from their meeting in Owerri, the Convener of the Assembly,  Barrister Ijeoma Igboanusi, said that it was an act of ingratitude for the party to treat Okorocha that way after building the part from the scratch in the State.

    Igboanusi said,  “History remains our witness. Without Okorocha, the APC would have been another regional party struggling for relevance without a nationalistic appeal.

    Igboanusi described as despicable that the party could look the other way when the rights of one of their foremost founding fathers were being trampled upon.

    She said. “The women leaders of the South-east having patiently waited and keenly watched the dramatic turn around cum actions of the INEC in Imo west senatorial zone in withholding Okorocha’s certificate of return are poised to as,  what kind of democracy are we practicing in Nigeria!?

    The women also decried the position of the party in zoning the leadership of the National Assembly, and reminded the party that “The Igbo constitute a leg in the tripod stand of the party and security were since the president is from the North,  the vice president from the South-west, it is only fair and just that the Senate presidency or the speaker of the House of Representatives be zoned to the Igbo in the South-east.”

     

  • Okorocha inaugurates boards, parastatals

    Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha on Friday inaugurated members of 38 Boards and parastatals, few weeks to the end of his administration.

    The Imo governor who was represented at the event by the Secretary to the State Government, Chief Mark Uchendu, allayed the fears of members of the Board over possible dissolution by the incoming government.

    He said that the tenure of the offices of the Board members is clearly stated in the different laws establishing them, assuring that it cannot be dissolved until the expiration of the time.

    Read Also: Oshiomhole behind my predicament, says Okorocha

    He urged them to deploy their wealth of experience to ensure that they bring the desired results in their respective Boards and parastatals.

    The governor also explained that the inauguration of the Boards which were constituted early January was delayed by the general elections.

    Responding on behalf of the Board members, Hon Daniel Nwafor, commended the governor for the honour, while describing it as a call to duty.

  • Oshiomhole behind my predicament, says Okorocha

    Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha on Monday said that the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, is fast turning the party to regional minority party.

    If not checked, he said APC might have serious setback in the year 2023.

    Okorocha spoke with State House correspondents after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    Asked to speak on the mistake of 2015 and the emergence of new leadership for the National Assembly, Okorocha said “I have been watching carefully what is happening in the National Assembly, it’s a very interesting drama. But all I ask them is that they should consider the South East in their calculations.

    “This nation will not be properly balanced if South East is not carried along properly in the affairs of the National Assembly. Nobody seems to be talking about the South East, it looks like the South East doesn’t have a place anymore, that is wrong, politically speaking and that is not good for APC.

    “Because there is going to be a bigger APC after President Muhammadu Buhari must have left the seat. My fear now is that APC might have a serious setback in 2023 because the Oshiomhole’s led executive is actually turning APC into a regional minority party which shouldn’t be because of his mistakes.

    “Right now in the whole South East, we don’t have an APC governor. So if there is any discussion in Nigeria now within the APC governors and President Muhammadu Buhari, there would be nobody from the South East.

    “This is what the APC Chairman has done in the South East. I think it’s a capital attempt to frustrate the efforts of the South East. But I appeal to every Nigerian to support the cause of the South East.

    “They shouldn’t think about giving South East, whatever position for giving sake. You can’t just wake up and give them any position. South East is a key primary zone in this country and if we don’t get the number one seat, we should get the number two seat.” he said

    He also pointed out that Oshiomhole was behind his predicament.

    According to him, INEC has no right to withhold his certificate of return.

    Asked why his party is not making any case for his certificate of return, he said “I won’t be surprise because, of course, you know the imposition we suffered in the party. When you say the party, you talk about the leadership of that party. I don’t have problem with the Working Committee of that party, I only have problem with the chairman of that party as he took it upon himself to do the wrong thing against me for just no cause and to fight a battle that he can never win.

    “No, he is the one that is behind all these impositions, can you imagine, as I speak to you the APC candidate in Imo State did not win a seat, APC does not have a councilor in Imo State now, it does not even have a House Member.

    “But the AA party has eight seats in the Imo State House of Assembly, two Federal House and they have one senator about to come to the Senate. This is why internal democracy must be respected, let the will of the people prevail rather than this imposition.

    “It is unfortunate what has happened in Imo State. At least, I have been vindicated for the fact that I said the APC candidate they are imposing on Imo people is not popular, he came from the opposition. When I was the leader of that party, when I was running the affairs of that party, we won 24 seats in the House of Assembly, we have governor, federal house members but today APC does not have because of imposition,” he said

    On the true position regarding his certificate of return, he said “As it stands today, I am just waiting patiently for the release of my certificate of return for election that I duly won, and I am hoping that INEC will release my certificate of return.

    “I have not contravened any section of the constitution and I have not done anything wrong not to be given my certificate. I pray and hope INEC would do what is just and what is right.”

    Asked if he discussed the issue with the President, Okorocha said “I don’t think that would have been necessary to do because, it’s a straight forward matter. INEC conducted election, results were declared – the returning officer declared the results and I won. Only, one week later to hear that somebody wrote a petition that he issued that declaration under duress. I say where? Was it in his private house or was it in the collation Centre?

    “If it is the collation, SSS were there, police were there, international observers, INEC officials and many others. So who actually put him under duress?” he queried

    “The man has not been able to say that. Nobody has ever sent a statement about that. But I think INEC would want to do the right thing very soon.

    “Now in the same way, the governorship candidate of PDP never won that election because the election flouted section 179 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which says that you must have the highest votes and you must have 25 percent in two third of the local governments.

    “Now, this gentleman who was declared the winner by the same INEC, had 135,000 votes from 24 local government but had over 130,000 votes from his three local governments. Of course you know, he didn’t win that election. But even at that, we had the highest mark, the Returning Officer of INEC was never patient to even calculate to know that it was 200,000 votes cancelled and there is supposed to be a rerun.

    “Also flouting that basic constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria which says you must have 25 percent in two-third, he doesn’t have it.

    He was confident that there would be

  • Buhari, Okorocha meet in Aso Rock

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday met behind closed doors with the outgoing Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    Okorocha had arrived the President’s office around 1pm.

    Due to alleged anti-party activities, the National Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress had suspended him.

    He was also yet to receive his certificate of return to the 9th Senate from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    Okorocha was still at the President’s office at the time of filing this report.

  • Why we’re withholding Okorocha’s certificate of return – INEC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) on Thursday cleared air on its decision to withhold certificates of return of Gov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo and three others.

    Mr Festus Okoye, INEC National Electoral Commissioner, Information and Voter Education, said the decision “does not amount to shifting goal post at the middle of a match.“

    He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Awka that INEC only issue certificate to people who genuinely won elections.

    “Issuance of certificates of return is a statutory function of INEC, it is only issued to those who won election and must be done through free will of a returning officer.

    “In the case of Imo West Senatorial zone where Okorocha contested, the Otu-Opi Federal Constituency in Benue, Agayi State Constituency and another in Akwa Ibom.

    “What INEC is saying is that you can’t engage in bad electoral behaviour and expect INEC to reward you with a certificate.

    “Our certificate is only for those who won freely,” he said.

    Okoye said the commission has the right not to issue certificate to such persons as it would amount to abnormality.

    He said INEC action is not targeted at the voters who voted people of their choice but to address excesses of those who wanted to use unconventional means to win elections.

    Read Also: I’m not owing any bank, Okorocha insists

    “Once we have such case, INEC will not issue certificate, but ensure that the right thing is done,” he said.

    He said at the moment that contenders of the positions in all the four affected areas are in court adding that INEC is awaiting for the outcome of the pending matters.

    Okoye said if the court orders INEC to issue certificates of return to the people involved, it would do same.

    He said if a consequential order is made directing INEC to conduct fresh election in the areas, the commission would do same.

  • I don’t owe any bank, Okorocha insists

    Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha has restated that his administration has never borrowed money from any bank within or outside the country.

    He gave the financial institutions seven days ultimatum to openly counter the claim if it is not true.

    Okorocha also disclosed that his administration does not owe workers, adding that workers’ salaries have been paid up to February 2019.

    The outgoing governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, challenged any bank with contrary claim to “openly indicate and give details of such transaction for the public to know”.

    According to him: “We have come up with this position because the PDP is synonymous with falsehood and propaganda.

    “And even as a party, if they know any bank the government of Rochas Okorocha has borrowed one naira from, they should mention such bank and state the particulars of the transaction so that interested persons can verify or forever, they should keep their mouths shut”.

    He continued: “Owing to Governor Okorocha’s monumental achievements, opponents of the administration have always erroneously concluded that he must have borrowed heavily from the banks.

    “And that is the reason we are now stating openly that the Rescue Mission administration which Owelle Okorocha has superintended for almost eight years now has not borrowed money from any bank.

    “We also want to state that Imo State Government has paid workers’ Salary up to the month of February 2019, and the payment of the month of March Salary is about to commence.

    “In other words, the State Government is not owing any outstanding salary.

    “Again, the government of Governor Okorocha is not owing any contractor. And if any contractor has any claim in the contrary he or she should immediately go to the Office of the Secretary to the government of Imo State with the relevant papers before May 29, 2019.

    “We are doing this so that people would not come after the governor has left Office to lie against him or make dubious claims.

    “It is also on record that the administration has run free education since 2011 from Primary to tertiary and no child pays one kobo as tuition fee while the government also repurchased state owned companies sold by the previous administrations including the Resin Paint Industry Mbaise”.

  • Observer groups to sue INEC over Okorocha’s Certificate of Return

    Observer Groups Monday lampooned the Independent National Electoral Commission for withholding the Certificate of Return of Imo West senator-elect, Rochas Okorocha.

    The groups noted that the electoral umpire is overstepping its bonds, adding that it lacks the powers to stop any candidate after he or she has been declared winner.

    At a press Conference in Owerri, Emmanuel Azuike of the Women Fest for Better Life Living Initiative, an Independent Observer group, said that the issue of allegation of duress upon which INEC relying on to withhold the Certificate of Return can only be established by a Court of competent jurisdiction.

    According to him, the allegation by the Collation Officer, Innocent Ibeawuchi, was not only outrageous but criminal

    He said, ”we were observers at Imo West Senatorial election and we observed that the election and the entire processes were peaceful and credible. We were also at the collation center at Orlu INEC office where the election results were received and we saw that Rochas Okorocha won with a wide margin and the Returning Officer, Prof Innocent Ibeabuchi, declared him winner”.

    He continued that, “the Returning Officer, Ibeabuchi was not under any form of duress to announce the results whatsoever, not at gunpoint, knife point or any form of harassment.”

    “All security Agencies, police, DSS, Army were there for the protection of the Returning Officer, and everybody present in the collation room.”

    “For him to say he was under duress was a big lie and deceit of the highest order.”

    “We hereby urge INEC to issue Rochas Okorocha his certificate of Return as senator-elect of Imo west senatorial zone or we will go to court to compel INEC to issue the Certificate of Return to the winner of the elections earlier declared.“