Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha has described the decision to withhold his Certificate of Return by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) after being declared winner of the Imo West Senatorial election as unfortunate and unconstitutional.
The Imo Governor alleged that INEC is being used by those he said were fighting him ahead the 2023 Presidential election to stop him from going to the Senate, adding that it is only the Courts that have the powers to nullify any election after a winner has been declared and the Electoral umpire does not have the power.
Okorocha who addressed thousands of youths, who came on protest over the conduct of the 2019 elections in the state, Wednesday, at the Government House, accused the State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Professor Francis Ezeonu of wrecking democracy in the State.
The governor insisted that “the REC had acted illegally by ignoring the provision of the Constitution that makes it mandatory for a candidate to have 25% in 2/3 of the Local Governments in the State by announcing the PDP candidate, Emeka Ihedioha who HE SAID, only met the requirement in 9 Local Governments instead of 18 LGAs which is 2/3 of 27 LGAs winner”.
The governor maintained that Uche Nwosu, the governorship candidate of Action Alliance (AA) won the election and has the required spread by having 25% in 21 out of the 27 LGAs in the State.
