Hopes dashed as Supreme Court delivers judgment on Imo senatorial election

- The Nigerian Supreme court has concluded hearing on the suit regarding the Imo North senatorial district bye-election

- The apex court disclosed why it ruled in favour of Frank Ibezim

Following the ruling Ibezim will now be inaugurated as a senator

PAY ATTENTION: Join Legit.ng Telegram channel! Never miss important updates!

Ifeanyi Araraume has suffered a huge loss after the Supreme Court declared Frank Ibezim of the All Progressive Congress (APC) as the senator-elect for the Imo North senatorial district bye-election.

According to The Sun, the apex court in a ruling on Friday, April Friday 16, set aside the concurrent judgments of the Federal high court in Abuja and that of the Court of Appeal which nullified the candidacy of Ibezim on the ground of perjury.

The Supreme Court noted that the suit which led to the disqualification of Ibezim for allegedly supplying false information to secure nomination was statute-barred at the time it was instituted because it was not filed within 14 days when the cause of action arose.

Read also

Akeredulu vs Jegede: Anxiety as tribunal announces date to deliver judgement on Ondo governorship election

According to The Nation, Justice Emmanuel Agim who delivered the judgment subsequently declared Ibezim as the candidate of the APC in the December 5, 2020 by-election and also as the winner of the election.

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read the best news on Nigeria’s #1 news app

The determination by the apex court has dashed the Senatorial ambition of Ifeanyi Araraume whose candidacy was had been upheld by both the Federal high court and that of the Court of Appeal.

With the ruling of the Supreme Court, the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC will now proceed to formally declare the winner of the election and issue Ibezim certificate of return as required by law.

Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom has described the state chapter of the APC as a party whose level of ignorance is pathetic.

Read also

Huge loss for APC as 2 prominent party chieftains defect to PDP with over 1,000 supporters in south-south State

The party further stated that the APC is forever tied to perennial internal politics of self-destructive hostility amongst its chieftains and stakeholders.

In a statement sent to Legit.ng on Friday, April 16 by its spokesman, Mr. Borono Bassey, the PDP said it watched with unfettered amusement how members of the APC wail about the impending exodus of their members to another party.

Source: Legit.ng