RALPH EJIMKONYE
Governor Hope Uzodinma, on Tuesday, continued his support for his preferred candidate for Okigwe senatorial seat, Frank Ibezim, expressing hope that Ibezim will be issued a certificate of Return by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
INEC had declared the APC winner of Okigwe bye election but did not return any candidate as winner.
Prior to the election, Federal High Court, Abuja, had sacked Ibezim as candidate of the APC for the Okigwe bye election, on the basis that he submitted fake certificates to the APC and INEC.
Speaking shortly after the National Executive Council Meeting, NEC of the All Progressive Congress, APC in Abuja and flanked by Governors Nasir El Rufai of Kaduna State and Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, Uzodinma, said Ibezim was the choice of the party ahead of the polls.
His renewed support came on the heels of claims made by another contender for Okigwe senate seat, Senator Ifeanyi Araraume who had accused the Governor of working for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP during the Okigwe bye election.
Uzodinma said “there is no ambiguity as to who is the Senator- elect”
He said “Of course APC won. You will agree with me that we had a very transparent election and a winner emerged, Frank Ibezim and he was nominated and sponsored by the party and his name forwarded to INEC and then comes this litigation by a member of the party.
“ And within that short period, there was an interim court order which has since been vacated by the Appeal Court. I think INEC is doing their internal workings now and they are going to issue him with a certificate or return. There is no ambiguity as to who is the senator-elect, the party has the right to sponsor whoever it chooses to sponsor.”
