Tunji Adedeji
A group under the aegis of Okigwe Zonal Youth Progressive Alliance comprising six local government areas in Imo North Senatorial District has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue Certificate of Return to the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Chief Emmanuel Okewulonu .
Armed with placards of various inscriptions such as; APC never had a candidate, INEC declare Emma Okewulonu winner, Okigwe zone have suffered without a Senator, Certificate forgery is criminal, INEC don’t declare a party without a candidate, we say no to Frank Ibezim certificate forgery and a host of others.
The youths who came out in their numbers led a peaceful protest to the INEC office in Owerri to press home their demands, stressing that Okewulonu won the election in clear terms.
Presenting the address to the INEC officials, the National President of the group Mr. Opara Samuel expressed concern that three months after the bye-election, Okigwe zone is yet to get a senator.
Opara accused the electoral umpire of denying them their constitutional right to be represented at the Senate.
He maintained that there was no candidate for the All Progressive Congress (APC) on the eve of the election December 4, 2020 when INEC published list of candidates to participate in the election following court judgments that disqualified the two contending candidates of APC.
The youth leader insisted that no candidate of APC participated in the election and that a political party without a candidate cannot participate in an election or win any valid vote in line with the electoral act.
The Okigwe Zonal Youth Progressive Alliance also insisted that the PDP candidate, Chief Emmanuel Okewulonu scored the highest number of valid votes cast after the election, it therefore described the situation in Imo North Senatorial District as very disturbing .
He said that INEC has refused to declare PDP candidate winner of the said election and as well issue him certificate of return is surprising.
The group thereby demanded the immediate declaration of Chief Emmanuel Okewulonu of People’s Democratic Party as the winner of the Imo North Senatorial bye-election held on December 5, 2020.
He also called on INEC to issue Chief Emmanuel Okewulonu of PDP the Certificate of Return without further delay in order to end the continual denial of constitutional right of Imo North Senatorial District to be represented at the Red Chambers.
In his response, the Chief Protocol of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Owerri Mr. Okoli Michael thanked the group for organizing themselves in a peaceful manner to express their grievances on the matter, he therefore promised to take their complaints to the appropriate quarters for prompt attention and action.
