Court restrains INEC from taking further action on Imo north senatorial election

The federal high court in Abuja has restrained the Independent National Electoral commission (INEC) from taking further action on the Imo north senatorial election.

Although the electoral commission declared Benjamin Uwajumogu winner of the poll that held on Feburary 23, it did not issue him a certificate of return.

The commission had set up a committee to review the conduct of the election.

Not satisfied with the decision of the commission, the senator-elect challenged INEC’s decision in court.

At the court on Wednesday, Taiwo Taiwo, the judge, ordered INEC to stay any further action pending the determination of the application “for prohibition.”

The judge also granted Uwajumogu permission to apply for a judicial review of INEC’s decision.

Taiwo further ordered the senator-elect to serve all the necessary processes on the respondent within three days.

A coalition of civil society organisations (CSOs) had given a two-day ultimatum to the electoral commission to issue a certificate of return to the senator-elect.

After it failed to comply with their ultimatum, the coalition protested at the INEC headquarters on Tuesday.