The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday evening issued former Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, his certificate of return as Senator-elect for Imo West Senatorial District. He got his certificate hours after presiding officers were elected for the Senate.
INEC said it decided to give him the certificate in deference to a Federal High Court, Abuja ruling by Justice Okon Abang.
However, the commission says it will appeal the court’s ruling, according to a statement by one of its National Commissioners and Chairman of the Information and Voters Education Committee, Festus Okoye.
There have been speculations by conspiracy theorists on social media that Okorocha, who was denied entry into the Senate chamber earlier on Tuesday on account of not having a certificate of return, was kept out so that he did not disrupt his party’s well laid out plan to ensure its anointed candidates emerged as presiding officers.
The INEC statement on Okorocha:
