The candidate of the United Progressive Party, UPP, Comrade Precious Nwadike, Friday prayed the court to prosecute and sentence Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State to prison over alleged electoral rigging and manipulation.
He also explained that Okorocha hired thugs, criminals and assassins to harass, intimidate and cart away election results.
Nwadike added, “The reliefs sought by the plaintiff is founded on illegality, criminality and mutilation of result sheets and allocation of false scores in fake result sheets; and gross breach of the electoral act and the guideline for the conduct of the 2019 election and as such will affect the legal right of the applicant seeking to be joined”.
This reaction was sequel to Okorocha’s legal suit at the Federal High Court, Abuja, praying the court to order the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to release to him a certificate of return having been declared winner of the controversial February 23, senatorial poll in Imo West Senatorial district by the Returning Officer.
But Nwadike who was among the seven parties seeking to be joined in the suit to challenge Okorocha’s claim got court’s approval today.
Also, the trial judge, Justice Taiwo Taiwo ordered and directed the applicants’ counsel to be served all processes filed and served in the suit and, “for such further orders as the honourable court may deem fit to make in the circumstances”.
However, Justice Taiwo adjourned the case to April 9, to enable all the applicants wishing to join to do so.
It would be recalled that INEC after the conduct of the said election has consistently failed to issue Okorocha a certificate of return on the premise that the Returning Officer alleged that he declared him a winner under duress.
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