Governor Rochas Okorocha has appealed to the Independent National
Electoral Commission to issue him with certificate of return as the
senator-elect for Imo West.
Electoral Commission to issue him with certificate of return as the
senator-elect for Imo West.
 |
| Gov. Rochas Okorocha |
He made the appeal at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday
.
“I will advise INEC to do the right thing, to release my certificate
so that I can celebrate as others. I want to be in the Senate and it
will be interesting if I am there ” Okorocha said.
so that I can celebrate as others. I want to be in the Senate and it
will be interesting if I am there ” Okorocha said.
He urged INEC not to allow itself manipulated by his political opponents, who he said, wanted to freeze him out politically.
Okorocha was not invited by INEC to a ceremony in Abuja where
certificates of return were presented to all senators elect and members
of the House of Representatives. Okorocha was declared winner of Imo
West two weeks ago, amidst claims by the returning officer, Professor I.
Ibeabuchi that he made the declaration under duress.
certificates of return were presented to all senators elect and members
of the House of Representatives. Okorocha was declared winner of Imo
West two weeks ago, amidst claims by the returning officer, Professor I.
Ibeabuchi that he made the declaration under duress.
INEC appeared to have upheld the submission and omitted Okorocha’s name from the list of senators-elect invited to Abuja.
Okorocha said his travails are connected to the politics of 2023 and that his opponents are already conspiring to close him out.
“I understand that people are beginning to fight a war of the future now when we are not even yet there.
“The idea is that, do not give Rochas a certificate; you must slow
him down until after they have elected the presiding officers, then you
can let him come in,”he said.
him down until after they have elected the presiding officers, then you
can let him come in,”he said.
He added that the idea was to also ensure that he does not become
anything in the Senate and to make sure that his governorship candidate
son in-law does not emerge winner.
anything in the Senate and to make sure that his governorship candidate
son in-law does not emerge winner.
Okorocha ended his conference with some sarcasm, suggesting that INEC excluded him from Thursday’s event for a bigger event.
“I think probably, INEC must be trying to do something special,
because I understand that once results have been declared and returns
made, then you are bound to be issued a certificate of return,”he said.
because I understand that once results have been declared and returns
made, then you are bound to be issued a certificate of return,”he said.
“Maybe, INEC would want to organise a special programme for me to
hand over this certificate of return to me, because clearly, I won and
it was a peaceful election, the best you can ever think of,”he said.
hand over this certificate of return to me, because clearly, I won and
it was a peaceful election, the best you can ever think of,”he said.
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