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CERTIFICATE OF RETURN: INEC decides Okorocha, others’ fate today

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INEC TO PDP: We won’t argue with you in the media over matters before the court

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it will on Tuesday (today) ventilate its final decision on court orders relating to the certificate of return of some political party candidates.

INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mr Festus Okoye, while speaking with newsmen in Abuja on Monday evening, said the meeting will be on judgments and orders from various Courts of Law on issuance of Certificates of Return.

Recall that INEC was last week ordered by court to immediately issue the immediate past governor of Imo state, Rochas Okorocha his certificate of return.

With this, the commission is expected to decide on Okorocha’s fate among others during the meeting.

It was also gathered that the commission was also directed by court to issue Certificates of Return to a Senator and five House of Representatives members under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) In Bauchi State.

Okoye however said that the commission was yet to take any decision regarding the judgement as its National Commissioners supervising state level review on the 2019 general elections just returned to Abuja.

“The Commission will meet on Tuesday regarding judgments and orders served on it from various Courts of Law.

“The Commission has not taken any decision relating to the matter you alluded to.

“The Commission may deal with all such issues and other pending ones tomorrow.

“National commissioners supervising State Level Review of the 2019 Elections returned to Abuja on Monday to clear all pending judgments and orders before heading back to their states of supervision,” Okoye said.

Recall that a FCT High Court on May 16 had ordered INEC to issue certificates of return to one Senator and five House of Representatives members elected under the platform the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bauchi State, who came second in the affected elections.

The court on Friday refused to grant an application for Stay of Execution of its judgement, which nullified the election of the affected senatorial district and five Federal Constituencies under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bauchi state.

Read also: Okorocha reacts to photo showing him with certificate of return

The FCT High Court, presided over by Justice Bello Kawu, rejected the application by the APC on stay of execution and ordered INEC to issue the PDP candidates with certificates of return.

The court had declared as null and void, the publication of the names of APC candidates as winners of the National Assembly election in the affected constituencies.

The affected PDP lawmakers-elect yet to be issued certificates include: Garba Dahiru, who replaced Lawal Yahaya Gumau as Bauchi south senator-elect, Jatau Mohammed Auwal replaces Omar Tata.

Abdulkadir, Mohammed Ibrahim replaced Muhammed Musa Pali and Aminu Aliyu Guru replaced Mohammed Sabo.

Others are Ahmad Gololo, who replaced Garba Gololo Mohammed and Hassan Galadima replaced Manu Mansur.

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