Okorocha denied accreditation, leaves national assembly

Rochas Okorocha, former governor of Imo state, has been prevented from participating in the inauguration of the 9th national assembly.

The ex-governor had arrived at the national assembly on Tuesday morning and headed straight to the office of Sani Omolori, clerk of the national assembly.

After some minutes at Omolori’s office, he walked out of the national assembly.

Okorocha was said to have attempted convincing the clerk to accredit him for the exercise but he did not succeed.

He had contested the Imo west senatorial district election under the All Progressives Congress (APC) and declared winner.

But Innocent Ibeabuchi, returning officer for the election, later said he declared the former governor winner of the election under duress.

The electoral body had refused to issue him a certificate of return, saying the election was fraught with controversies.

Although a federal high court in Abuja ruled that INEC should issue Okorocha a certificate of return, the commission did not do so, saying it was worried about “rewarding bad behaviour”.