Imo North Bye-election: Court Joins APC, Ibezim In Araraume’s Suit Against INEC

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ruled that the All Progressive Congress (APC) and Chukwuma Ibezim be joined as parties in a suit filed by Senator Ifeanyi Araraume against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) who had withheld declaration of winner of the December 5, Imo North senatorial bye-election despite announcing the party as the winner.

Ibezim and Araraume (a former senator) had fielded themselves as APC candidates prior to the election.

But while the Federal High Court, Abuja had disqualified Ibezim for presenting inconsistent names in his school certificates to INEC, the Appeal Court in Owerri upheld him as party’s candidate.

According to INEC, the legal tussle over the authentic candidate of the party had caused the delay in issuing certificate of return.

But Araraume’s counsel, Tunde Falola, said his client had also filed an application at the Supreme Court, praying that the execution of the Appeal court judgement be stayed.

As such, the former senator’s lawyer approached the Justice Taiwo Taiwo court for an order compelling the commission to issue him the Certificate of Return as the winner of the bye-election.

But the APC and Ibezim, through their lawyers, E.A. Oshayomi and Miss. Ozowuda Wudu, asked the trial judge to put them as defendants in the suit.

On Saturday, Justice Taiwo said that for the sake of fair hearing, APC and Ibezim must join the suit.

“The plaintiff shall amend this suit within three days…It is therefore adjourned to 5th February 2021,” he said.

On its part, INEC is banking on the decision of the court to determine the actual candidate who won the election.