Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha on Thursday lost the chance to get a confirmation as Senator-elect of Imo West Senatorial District.
At the International Conference Centre, Abuja, venue of the issuance of the Certificate of Return by INEC, Okorocha’s presence was not felt even as another Senator-Elect of Imo State, Ezenwa Onyewuchi was handed that of Owerri zone.
INEC had in an earlier release made public last week excluded Okorocha’s name from the exercise. The governor’s exclusion may not be unconnected to the allegation raised by the Returning Officer for Orlu zone who alleged that he was harassed and forced to announce the result under duress, prompting INEC to shut Okorocha out.
Trumpeta observed that only the Owerri zone candidate of PDP, Onyewuchi was honoured with a Certificate while uncertainty trails that of Okigwe zone where INEC is yet to make official statement of the winner Okorocha on Wednesday lamented his exclusion while addressing supporters in Owerri. He claimed not to be a violent person while stating that INEC has no powers to stop his Certificate of Return as Orlu zone Senator-Elect.
In a similar development, eight newly elected House of Reps out of the ten received their Certificates of Return in Abuja. They are Bede Eke (PDP) for Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala, Emeka Martins (PDP) Ahiazu/Ezinihitte, Paschal Obi (AA), Ideato, and Nwawuba Henry Udochukwu (PDP) Mbaitoli/Ikeduru.
Others are Ugonna Ozuruigbo (APC) Nwangele/Isu/Njaba/Nkwerre, Kingsley Uju (AA) Ohaji/Egbema, Oguta, Oru West, Jerry Alagbaoso (PDP) Orlu, Orsu, Oru East and Ikenna Elezianya (PDP) Owerri Federal.
