Frank Ibezim beats Ararume, sworn in as Imo north senator

Frank Ibezim has finally been sworn in as the senator representing Imo north.

Ibezim took his oath of office on the floor of the upper legislative chamber on Tuesday following about three months of legal tussle with Ifeanyi Ararume, a contender for the seat.

Both of them are members of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The seat became vacant in December 2019 after the demise of Benjamin Uwajumogu, who was sworn in to represent the senatorial district at the commencement of the ninth senate.

The bye-election for the senatorial district was held in December 2020 but no one was named by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the winner owing to conflicting orders in courts of same jurisdiction.

After weeks of litigation, the supreme court, earlier in April, affirmed Ibezim as the authentic candidate of the APC in the bye-election.

Two lower courts had held that Ibezim “bears two different and irreconcilable names” and presented three falsified West African Examination Council (WAEC) results for the same election.

They found that while one of the certificates bears Chukwuemeka Frank Ibezim, the other has Francis Ibezim Chukwuemeka.

The apex court, however, affirmed his candidacy notwithstanding the findings.