Victory short-lived as court orders INEC not to issue Ararume Certificate of Return

Just when Ifeanyi Ararume, the recently declared winner of the December 2020 Imo North Senatorial election, was singing songs of victory, his joy was cut short.

This happened when an Imo state high court issued an order of interim injunction to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) restraining it from giving Ararume a certificate of return, Channels TV reports.

According to a ruling read by Justice E. O. Agba on Thursday, March 18, 2021, this order will stand pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice in a suit brought before the court.

Justice Agba revealed that the suit was filed by the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), one Kelechi Soribe, a member of the party's working committee in Imo, and five others against Ararume, INEC and the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Vanguard reports that after issuing the order to the electoral commission, the presiding judge adjourned the case till Monday, March 22, for hearing.

Earlier, INEC was issued a 72-hour ultimatum to issue a certificate of return to Ararume based on the result of the December 5, 2020, Imo North Senatorial bye-election.

The ultimatum was given in an order issued by the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday, March 18, 2021, Justice Taiwo Taiwo ruled that having been declared as the valid candidate of the APC, Ararume should be awarded a certificate of return by the electoral commission.

The judge stated that the earlier judgment of the court had confirmed Ararume as the winner of the election.

The judge pointed out that the third defendant, Chukwuma Ibezim, remained disqualified with regard to the judgment by the Court of Appeal in Abuja.