Has the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) complied with the court’s order to give former governor of Imo State Rochas Okorocha his certificate of return as winner of the Imo West Senatorial District in the last election?
Indications are that the electoral umpire has not. Okorocha who arrived National Assembly premises at 7:40.am on Tuesday ahead of the inauguration was denied entry and excluded from accreditation.
The action by the National Assembly management has sealed any hope that the embattled governor would be inaugurated alongside his other colleagues in the Red Chamber.
Okorocha, was declared winner of the Imo West Senatorial District. His certificate of return was however withheld by INEC because the result wasn purportedly declared under duress, by INEC’s Returning Officer.
However, a federal high court in Abuja last week said INEC has no power to withhold his certificate and deny him his victory under any guise. It therefore ordered that Okorocha be given his certificate of return.
It was not clear if INEC had complied with the court’s directive.
However, Okorocha was not accredited by the National Assembly management to attend the inauguration.