Again, INEC Insists No Certificate Of Return For Okorocha | Nairalaw

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has
insisted that there is no going back on its decision regarding the
Imo West senatorial district election.

The National Commissioner, Information and Voter Education, Mr
Festus Okoye, disclosed this to reporters at a briefing on Thursday
in Abuja.

He noted that the commission was aware that the Imo State
Governor, Rochas Okorocha, who was declared as the winner of the
election had gone to court because he was not presented with his
certificate of return.

Okoye stressed that although the commission has always obeyed
court orders, it would not issue a certificate of return to the
governor.

He, however, said since the governor had taken the matter to
court, INEC would await the verdict of the court to know what step
to take next.

Governor Okorocha had asked the Federal High Court Abuja to
compel the electoral body to issue him his certificate as the
senator-elect for Imo West senatorial district.

In a suit, the governor argued that INEC lacked the statutory
powers to withhold his certificate of return, stressing that he was
validly elected to represent the Imo West senatorial district in
the National Assembly.

He had also prayed the court to declare that the electoral body
acted in error when it refused to recognise him as the winner of
the election, despite the declaration by the returning officer.

On its part, INEC had insisted that it would not issue the
certificate because the returning officer said he declared Governor
Okorocha as the winner “under duress”.

Although the governor insisted that he won the election fairly
and that his victory was not declared under duress, his name was
not on the list of those to be given a certificate of return.

Despite his protests against the decision of the electoral body,
he wasn’t given a certificate when winners got theirs last
week.

Youths Give INEC 14 days Ultimatum to Issue Certificate
of Return to Okorocha

Youths under the aegis of Northern Youths Council of Nigeria
(NYCN) have given the Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC) 14 days ultimatum to issue Anayo Rochas Okorocha his
Certificate of Return or face their wrath.

The NYCN in a statement signed by its National President,
Comrade Isah Abubakar and made available to PRNigeria in Abuja
noted that it was unconstitutional and against the electoral Act as
amended for INEC to refuse the issuance of Certificate of Return to
Rochas Okorocha after his declaration as the winner by the
returning officer.

The statement reads in part:

We demand that; as a matter of urgency the commission should
without any further delay Present the certificate of return of the
Senator elect in person of Owelle Rochas Anayo Okorocha to him to
avoid the breach of the constitution

That INEC has no Constitutional right to withhold any
certificate of return of any individual that has been pronounce
elected and returned by the returning Officer, as only the tribunal
can hear electoral matter and offences, meanwhile it’s only a
competent court of jurisdiction that have such powers to deny any
individual either returned or otherwise.

That failure of the commission to present to the winner of the
23rd February election his certificate of return in person of
Owelle Rochas Anayo Okorocha within 14 working days will attract a
massive protest from the youth at the headquarters of the
commission Abuja.

We wish to categorically state that our citizens will not sit
and watch institutions like INEC being bastardized by some few
individuals at the detriment of our hard-earned democracy.

That INEC has failed woefully as they have chosen to hearken to
the voice of their paymasters and deep pocket individuals to the
detriment of Nigerians who have spoken though their votes by
throwing the country into their so-called inconclusive
elections.

That INEC leadership has taken it upon themselves to sabotage
our hard-earned democracy by frustrating the electoral process to
suit some individual interest at the detriment of our Nation and
making mockery of our Nation.

Comrade Isah Abubakar
National President,
Nortrhern Youth Council of Nigeria(NYCN)