Court orders INEC to replace Ibezim with Ararume as APC candidate

A Federal High Court sitting in Owerri, the Imo State capital has nullified the candidacy of Mr Frank Ibezim to represent the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Imo North senatorial district bye-election.

Justice Garba Ringim, who delivered the judgement on Friday also nullified the victory of Ibezim as the winner of the APC primaries conducted on September 3, 2020.

He, thereafter, declared Senator Ifeanyi Araraume as the authentic and rightful winner of the primary election.

The presiding judge also ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately substitute Ibezim’s name with that of Senator Araraume.

He explained that Ibezim’s candidacy was nullified on the ground that he did not participate in the September 3 primary election of the APC.

According to Justice Ringim, this is because there was a petition by the APC Screening Committee that he and five others were disqualified for not meeting basic requirements.

He, therefore, held that any vote allotted to Ibezim was a nullity in the eyes of the law.

Reacting to the judgement, one of the counsels to the plaintiff, Wale Olajide, commended the court for doing a thorough job.

He noted that the grounds in which his client approached the court had been affirmed by the judge.

However, efforts to get the counsel to the defendant proved abortive. (Channels TV)