Imo North Senatorial Bye-Election: APC’s Ibezim Wins Appeal As APC Candidate For Dec. 5 Bye-Election

The Court of Appeal in Owerri has restored the mandate given to Sir Frank Ibezim as the candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) for Imo North senatorial zone, ahead of scheduled bye-election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The latest judgement has put Senator Ifeanyi Araraume aside before the bye-election.

The bye-election is taking place on Saturday in the entire electoral polling centres in Okigwe zone.

One of his appellants Dr. C. C. Nwadigo confirmed that Ibezim was declared APC candidate in an unanimous judgement by the three Justices of the Court of Appeal.

He said the appeal court upheld Ibezim’s appeal, while setting aside the judgment of the Federal High Court earlier delivered on the November 6, 2020.

He said, “By this, Court of Appeal judgment, INEC has been mandated to restore the name of Sir Frank Ibezim as the only and authenticatic APC candidate for the December, 5 2020 senatorial bye election.”

Meanwhile, a Federal High Court in Abuja earlier disqualified Chukwuma Francis Ibezim as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Imo North Senatorial by-election.

Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a judgment on Friday, disqualified Ibezim from contesting the election on the grounds that he made false statements/declarations in the affidavit and documents he submitted to the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), wherein he presented falsified and uncertified photocopies of West African Examination Council (WAEC) certificate.

Justice Ekwo found that the WASC certificate he submitted ” bears two different and irreconcilable names – Ibezim Chukwuma Frank and Ibezim Francis Chukwuma.

The judge ordered INEC to remove his name from the list of candidates for the by-election.

The judgement was on a suit marked:FHC/ABJ/CS/1229/2020 filed by Asomugha Tony Elebeke, with Ibezim, APC and INEC as defendants.