The fate of Imo West Senatorial District is hanging on the balance as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has removed the name of Imo Governor, Rochas Okorocha from the list of newly elected senators published on its website.
Though Okorocha’s name was conspicuously missing in Box 47, it is certain that INEC will conduct another election to duly elect a Senator to represent the district.
INEC published the list of elected federal lawmakers ahead of the presentation of the Certificates of Return to them on Thursday, March 14.
It was gathered that only senator-elect Onyewuchi Ezenwa Francis (Imo East), who won on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was listed in the slot for the three Imo senatorial districts.
Governor Okorocha’s name missing on INEC’s official senators-elect list Official senators-elect list released by INEC.
The slot for Imo west senatorial district, where Okorocha contested, was filled INEC’s remark- “Declaration made under duress.”
The electoral umpire wrote ”Supplementary” on the slot for Imo North.
Governor Okorocha had contested the seat on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Saturday, February 23 and was declared winner by Innocent Ibeawuchi, the Returning Officer for the senatorial district.
Ibeawuchi later said that he was made to announce Okorocha as winner under duress, a statement Okorcha countered that the man must have been sick.
Last week, Mahmood Yakubu, the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said that the electoral commission would not issue certificates of return to any candidate declared winner of an election under duress.
Yakubu made the statement in Abuja on Thursday, March 7, during a meeting with the inter-agency consultative committee on election security.
