We won’t give Okorocha certificate of return, INEC insists

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it will not give a certificate of return to Rochas Okorocha, governor of Imo state, who was declared winner of Imo west senatorial district.

INEC had said Okorocha was announced winner with the returning officer placed under duress.

On a Channels Television programme, Festus Okoye, the commission’s director of voter education, said INEC had investigated the claim and confirmed that it is true.

“We’ve made it clear on why we didn’t present any certificate of return to him,” he said.

“If you look at our website, we said that the declaration and return were made under duress and that we are not going to give any certificate to any person for any individual that procured a return under duress.”

On Thursday when INEC presented certificates of return to elected national assembly members, Okorocha’s name was missing on the list.

Reacting, however, Okorocha who ran under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said INEC might be planning to organise a special event for him.

“I am sure you are aware that I was conspicuously absent at the certificates issuance ceremony. I was not there because INEC has removed my name from the list of elected senators, having been declared the winner by the zonal returning officer. I am actually waiting to hear why INEC struck my name out,” he had said.

He further asked; “How can you put somebody on duress to declare you the winner of an election that you have already won? It is not true, but I must let the world understand that this is a game that is being played.”