BREAKING: Imo North: Court Reserves Judgement On Ararume, Ibezim To Avoid ‘Judicial Rascality’

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Tuesday, reserved judgement in a suit filed by Senator Ifeanyi Araraume (of Imo North) against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which sought an order compelling the Commission to issue him certificate of return as the valid candidate of the All Progressives Congress(APC) in the December 5, Imo North senatorial bye-election won by the party.

Justice Taiwo Taiwo, who presided over the court session, said he would need to study earlier judgements of the Supreme and Appeal Courts on the matter in order to avoid a ruling that would amount to “judicial rascality”.

INEC, APC and Chukwuma Ibezim (another APC contestant) are defendants in the suit.

Recall that INEC declared APC as winner of the bye-election, but did not name a candidate due to various court orders against and for Ibezim and Ararume.

As Justice Taiwo Taiwo was about to address Ararume’s substantive suit, the APC Counsel, A.M. Aliu, SAN, informed the judge that he needed to see the recent judgements of the apex court so as to decide if ” this case ought to proceed.”

He said, “My submission is that my lord is entitled to see that judgement.”

THE WHISTLER had reported that the Supreme Court had on Friday, dismissed Ararume’s application against Ibezim, adding that Ibezim (an APC contestant and first respondent in the case), was not granted fair hearing by a trial court which had earlier disqualified him.

On Saturday, the Appeal Court, Abuja also affirmed the Justice Inyang Ekwo’s trial court’s disqualification of Ibezim over inconsistent information in the school certificate he tendered to INEC and APC.

Arguing on the APC’s counsel’s objection, Ararume’s lawyer, Tunde Falola, told the judge that the two court judgements were not the same.

He added that the Appeal Court division in Abuja had disqualified Ibezim from being the APC candidate for the election.

“My lord, I vehemently oppose the application, my lord, the decision of the Supreme Court is a parallel judgement compared to the Court of Appeal, Abuja, decision on Saturday, delivered on February 6, in Abuja.

“My lord, the two Judgements of the Supreme Court and Appeal Court are not the same.

“My application is to urge this honorable court to proceed with the hearing of this suit,” he said.

Also speaking, Ibezim’s lawyer, Ifeoluwa Ojediyan, agreed with the APC that the court should delay giving verdict to Ararume’s suit pending understanding of the higher court’s judgement.

He also contended that, “there is a motion of appeal and stay of execution that has been filed” against the Appeal Court judgement.

On his part, Justice Taiwo said he could not go further on the matter until he sees and studies the judgements of the apex court to know their bearing on the matter before him.

He said giving verdict without clarity on the apex court judgement will amount to “judicial rascality”.

Subsequently, he adjourned the matter to February 23.

He also struck out the People’s Democratic party’s application seeking to be joined as defendants in the case.