The Supreme Court, on Friday, declared Frank Ibezim as the All Progressives Congress (APC) authentic candidate for December 5, 2020, Senatorial by-election in Imo North.
Justice Emmanuel Agim, who delivered the judgment, set aside Ibezim’s disqualification from the election by the Federal High Court, Abuja.
Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had announced APC as the winner of the bye-election without stating any person as the authentic candidate of the party on the grounds of conflicting court orders for and against the two major contenders, Ararume and Ibezim.
Announcing the result, the returning officer, Mr Hakeem Adikum, said that the APC polled a total of 36, 811 votes, while PDP came second with 31,903 votes.
Adikum said APC won in five out of six Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the senatorial district while the PDP came second having clinched victory only in Obowo LGA.
He declared that the LGAs won by the APC are Okigwe, Onuimo, Isiala Mbano, Ehime Mbano, and Ihitte Uboma.
Justice Inyang Ekwo had last year disqualified Ibezim from the election for alleged perjury.
The judge held that the businessman made false declarations in the documents he submitted to the INEC ahead of the election.
The ruling was upheld by the Court of Appeal.
The two lower courts specifically held that Ibezim “bears two different and irreconcilable names” and presented three falsified West African Examination Council (WAEC) results for the same election.
According to the courts, one of the certificates bears Chukwuemeka Frank Ibezim and another Francis Ibezim Chukwuemeka among other differences.
Following the rulings, Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on March 18 ordered INEC to issue a certificate of return to Ararume as duly elected Senator for the district.
However, the Supreme Court held that the suit which led to Ibezim’s disqualification for allegedly supplying false information to secure nomination was statute-barred at the time it was filed.
The suit was filed by Asomugha Elebeke, one of the aspirants, who had expressed interest in the APC ticket for the by-election.
The apex court said Ibezim’s appeal against the two judgments was meritorious, enforceable, and granted it.
The panel subsequently declared Ibezim as the APC candidate for the by-election and duly elected senator for Imo North.
Although a debutant in the National Assembly, Ibezim is no pushover in the political terrain.
He was a founding member of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and headed the Buhari Campaign Organization, Imo State under the Congress for Progressive Change during the 2007 presidential campaign.
He aspired and lost during the 2010/2011 campaigns to represent the Okigwe South Federal Constituency.
Ibezim is a former Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources (2014 – 2015) and a one time Special Adviser, (Political) to the Minister of State for Education (2015 – 2019).
Ibezim’s emergence doesn’t in any alter the balance in the upper chamber with the APC still enjoying a majority.
The ruling party has over 65 of the total 109 lawmakers in its fold, representing almost 60 per cent.
