The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disowned the results Senator Benjamin Uwajimogu presented to the National Assembly Elections Tribunal sitting in Owerri Imo State. These were the results that the Senatorial Returning Officer for Imo North (Okigwe) in the 2019 National Assembly Election Professor Donatus Ohajianya relied on to declares him winner.
Our reporter, who attended the National Assembly Elections Tribunal Panel, said that the petitioner Hon Ndubueze C. had subpoenaed four INEC officials who played vital roles in the election to represent the Resident Electoral Commissioner Imo State. The Subpoenas by the petitioner includes:
Mr Victor Obieze, INEC Chief Administration Officer to represent the REC Imo State.
Mr Daniel Lifu, Electoral Officer, (EO), Ehime Mbano
Mr Peters Okorie, Electoral Officer (EO) representing Isiala Mbano
Dr Mrs Pat Anyanwu, Isiala Mbano Collation Officer
Mr Victor Obieze, the Chief Administration Officer INEC Imo State disowned all the results presented by Senator Benjamin Uwajimogu for Isiala and Ehime Mbano Local Government Areas for the supplementary election held on 9th March, 2019. He said that the results sheets format, figures and signatures were unknown to INEC.
his this line, Mr. Peter Okorie, Electoral Officer (E.O) Isiala Mbano Local Government Area and Mr. Daniel Lifu, Electoral Officer Ehime Mbano Local Government Area who testified on Monday 29th July, 2019 collaborated Mr. Obieze’s testimony and went further to say that they were still collating the senatorial results of the two Local Government Areas when radio announcements and telephone calls made them to know that one Professor Donatus Ohajianya had announced the results of Senatorial election and declared Senator Benjamin Uwajimogu winner.
In his same view the Collation Officer for Isiala Mbano Local Government Area, Dr.
Mrs Pat Anyanwu collaborated the testimony of other INEC Officials and informed Tribunal that Resident Electoral Commissioner Imo State when informed of the happenings at the Senatorial Collation/Returning Centre for Imo North at Central
School Okigwe instructed the Electoral Officers (EO’s) for Isiala and Ehime Mbano Local Government Areas to return and submit the collated results to the INEC headquarters Owerri Imo State.
These four INEC Officials tendered documentary evidence of results of Imo North Senatorial Elections as it was collated in the field. They also tendered certified true copies of list of presiding officers are Collation Officers that conducted the elections.
They also tendered list of political parties that participated in the election.
The defendant Sen. Ben Uwajimogu is to open his defense on Friday and Saturday 2nd and 3rd August.
