PDP Rejects Court Judgment on Imo North Senatorial By-election

The Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), has rejected in its
entirety the March 18, 2020, judgment by the Federal High Court
sitting in Abuja, which ordered the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) to issue Certificate of Returns to Senator
Ifeanyi Araraume within 72 hours.

The PDP said yesterday that the judgment further heightened its
fears that the All Progressives Congress (APC) controlled federal
government is bent on using certain officials within the judiciary
to suppress the opposition and subvert the will of the people.

A statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary of the
PDP, Mr.Kola Ologbondiyan, said: “”Our party wonders how could a
matter which has been decided by the Supreme Court be overruled by
a Federal High Court.”

The PDP said that it was clear to all that the Supreme Court on
February 5, 2021, upheld the ruling of the Court of Appeal, which
nullified the candidature of Senator Ifeanyi Araraume as the APC
candidate for Imo North Senatorial District’s bye-election.

Ologbondiyan said: “That verdict of the Supreme Court put to
rest the candidature of Senator Ifeanyi Araraume.

“It is, therefore, bizarre that a Federal High Court presided
over by Justice Taiwo Taiwo, which Senate Ifeanyi Araraume had
approached to declare him the authentic candidate and order the
INEC to issue him Certificate of Returns had done so in flagrant
disregard to the Supreme Court ruling on the same matter.”

The PDP held that this is a direct miscarriage of justice, which
poses great danger to democracy and should not be allowed to
stand.

It said: “Our candidate for the December 5, 2020, Imo North
senatorial bye-election, Mr. Emmanuel Okewulonu, polled the highest
valid votes cast at that election since courts of competent
jurisdictions disqualified the two APC’s candidates, Mr. Frank
Ibezim and Senator Ifeanyi Araraume, less than 24 hours to the
election.

“On the strength of the disqualifications, the names of these
two candidates were conspicuously excluded by the INEC in the final
list that was released. They were not part of the total election
process.”

Moreover, the PDP said that INEC’s refusal to declare Okewulonu
as winner after the election quickly sold the electoral umpire out
as being under heavy influence of superior power.

The PDP argued that “had the INEC done the needful at the time
of the election by declaring Okewulonu the winner, we would not
have come to the current sorry pass where conflicting judicial
orders are being churned out every second

“We, therefore, reject this recent judgment and call on the INEC
to handover the Certificate of Returns to Mr. Emmanuel Okewulonu,
who is the authentic winner of the December 5, 2020, Imo North
senatorial bye-election, sequel to the ruling of the Supreme
Court.”

The Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), has rejected in its
entirety the March 18, 2020, judgment by the Federal High Court
sitting in Abuja, which ordered the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) to issue Certificate of Returns to Senator
Ifeanyi Araraume within 72 hours.

The PDP said yesterday that the judgment further heightened its
fears that the All Progressives Congress (APC) controlled federal
government is bent on using certain officials within the judiciary
to suppress the opposition and subvert the will of the people.

A statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary of the
PDP, Mr.Kola Ologbondiyan, said: “”Our party wonders how could a
matter which has been decided by the Supreme Court be overruled by
a Federal High Court.”

The PDP said that it was clear to all that the Supreme Court on
February 5, 2021, upheld the ruling of the Court of Appeal, which
nullified the candidature of Senator Ifeanyi Araraume as the APC
candidate for Imo North Senatorial District’s bye-election.

Ologbondiyan said: “That verdict of the Supreme Court put to
rest the candidature of Senator Ifeanyi Araraume.

“It is, therefore, bizarre that a Federal High Court presided
over by Justice Taiwo Taiwo, which Senate Ifeanyi Araraume had
approached to declare him the authentic candidate and order the
INEC to issue him Certificate of Returns had done so in flagrant
disregard to the Supreme Court ruling on the same matter.”

The PDP held that this is a direct miscarriage of justice, which
poses great danger to democracy and should not be allowed to
stand.

It said: “Our candidate for the December 5, 2020, Imo North
senatorial bye-election, Mr. Emmanuel Okewulonu, polled the highest
valid votes cast at that election since courts of competent
jurisdictions disqualified the two APC’s candidates, Mr. Frank
Ibezim and Senator Ifeanyi Araraume, less than 24 hours to the
election.

“On the strength of the disqualifications, the names of these
two candidates were conspicuously excluded by the INEC in the final
list that was released. They were not part of the total election
process.”

Moreover, the PDP said that INEC’s refusal to declare Okewulonu
as winner after the election quickly sold the electoral umpire out
as being under heavy influence of superior power.

The PDP argued that “had the INEC done the needful at the time
of the election by declaring Okewulonu the winner, we would not
have come to the current sorry pass where conflicting judicial
orders are being churned out every second

“We, therefore, reject this recent judgment and call on the INEC
to handover the Certificate of Returns to Mr. Emmanuel Okewulonu,
who is the authentic winner of the December 5, 2020, Imo North
senatorial bye-election, sequel to the ruling of the Supreme
Court.”