The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday fixed Friday for judgment on a suit filed by the immediate-past governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, challenging the Independent National Electoral Commission’s refusal to issue him a certificate of return as the senator-elect for the Imo West Senatorial District.
Justice Okon Abang fixed the date for judgment after hearing Okorocha’s lawyer Kehinde Ogunwumiju (SAN) and counsel representing other respondents including INEC.
In the suit, Okorocha argued that INEC lacked the statutory powers to withhold his certificate of return, because he was validly elected to occupy the senatorial seat.
Okorocha prayed the court to declare that INEC acted in error when it refused to recognise him as the winner of the senatorial election, even after the Returning Officer had declared that he won the election.
But INEC asked the court to dismiss the suit.