You Cannot Harass Our Officer And Be Rewarded With Certificate Of Return

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has expressed worry over issuing a certificate of return to Rochas Okorocha as senator-elect for Imo west senatorial district.

INEC said it cannot issue a certificate of return to any individual that harasses, intimidates and puts the commission’s officers under pressure in order to procure a favourable declaration.

The commission said this in response to a court ruling ordering INEC to issue Rochas Okorocha his Certificate of Return as the winner of Imo West Senatorial Election.

In a statement issued on Friday, INEC said it is worried that “if electoral impunity is allowed to flourish, any individual can harass, intimidate and put the Commission’s officers under duress, procure a favourable declaration and be rewarded with a Certificate of Return.”

INEC, however, said it would meet to “do the needful” over the court judgement as well as another one from a high court in Imo state directing it “not to issue a certificate of return to any of the candidates that contested the Imo west senatorial district election.”

It said while the order from the high court of Imo was issued on May 23, “the judgement delivered by the Federal High Court, Abuja is the latest in time and determined the rights of the parties in relation to the subject matter of the Certificate of Return, in respect of the Imo West Senatorial Election.”

“As a law-abiding institution, the Commission will continue to obey judgements of all courts of competent jurisdiction,” the statement from Festus Okoye, INEC director of voters education and publicity, read.