Court orders INEC to issue certificate of return to Sen. Uwajumogu

The Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, on Thursday, has
ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to
issue certificate of return to Sen. Benjamin Uwajumogu as the
validly elected senator representing Imo North senatorial
District.

In the application filed by Uwajumogu, for the release of his
certificate of return, Justice Taiwo Taiwo said INEC’s decision to
review the outcome of the 2019 senatorial election was in
contravention of the electoral Act.

The court further held that INEC was bound by law to issue the
certificate of return based on the declaration of the returning who
announced Uwajumogu as the duly elected senator for Imo North
Senatorial district.

Counsel to Mr Uwajumogu applauded the verdict of the court,
adding that INEC should implement the order immediately.

“Based on the order, the court said immediately; going by the
provision of the electoral act, it ought to be within seven days of
the declaration of the result. But for the attitude of INEC, now
the court has said the order should be implemented immediately.

“It is another opportunity for us to be happy again that the
Judiciary is standing to what they are called to do in our
democracy, this is the last hope of the common man, and they have
again decided the position of the law as it ought to be.

“We are happy about it and we believe our opponent will be happy
about it because it is about the development of our law,”

The court had on April 9, 20l9, ordered INEC to stay all further
proceedings and actions connected with the declaration of Imo North
Senatorial District election results of Feb. 23 and March 9, 2019,
pending the determination of the application for prohibition.

INEC had conducted an investigation into allegations of
misconduct that played out in the election.

(NAN)

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