Constituents demand release of Uwajumogu’s certificate of return

The Senator-elect representing Imo North senatorial district, Senator Benjamin Uwajumogu, Monday staged a protest to the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) demanding the immediate release of his certificate of return being withheld by the commission.

In the vein, Imo North senatorial district constituents have urged the INEC to issue a certificate of return to Senator Benjamin Uwajumogu within 24 hours.

Uwajumogu had secured an order of a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja directing the commission to release the certificate of return, but three weeks after the judgement, INEC was yet to comply with the judgment.

INEC had refused to give the senator his certificate of return on the excuse that he was wrongly declared winner of the election, saying it has set up a committee to investigate the veracity or otherwise of claims of misconduct during the election, a decision he challenged in court.

Speaking at the INEC office, the APC senator said he approached the Federal High Court as a law abiding citizen and obtained a judgment instructing INEC to release his certificate of return, adding that till date, INEC was yet to obey the judgment.

He alleged that there were people in the opposition with INEC to frustrate him, adding that when other people, including members of the opposition obtained judgement, INEC did not waste tie in releasing their certificate, saying “why is my own different. Why is INEC looking for excuses to deny us our certificate of return when a court of competent jurisdiction has given an order.

“I am here today to collect my certificate of return, but INEC has refused to issue me the certificate. I am asking them to do that to forestall break down of law and order. We are prepared to do whatever it will take to get our certificate of return”

Meanwhile, the Director-General of Benjamin Uwajumogu Campaign Organisation, Mr Mathew Omegara, said the issuance of the certificate was long due since Uwajumogu was declared winner of March 9 National Assembly elections in the constituency.

Omegara, who led the constituents in protest, said INEC should be held responsible for any break down of law and order in the area if the certificate were not issued within 24 hours.

“Uwajumogu was declared winner of the National Assembly elections and duly returned by the designated INEC Returning Officer,’’ he noted.

He observed further that INEC rather issued a public notice on April 4 that it had appointed a committee to review the process of the election.

“Following that development, Uwajumogu went to court and the Federal High Court gave judgment, asking INEC to release his certificate.

“It is almost three weeks since the court ordered the commission to issue Uwajumogu with his certificate and nothing has been done.

“On behalf of the concerned citizens of Imo North Senatoral District, we the leaders of the Benjamin Uwajumogu Campaign Organisation, wish to demand for the issuance of the certificate without further delay.

“We have, nonetheless, prevailed on the stakeholders in Imo North Senatorial District to remain law abiding while the law takes its due course,’’ he said.

He also said that there was no need for INEC to withhold the certificate of return, alleging that other people that had similar cases did not go through the process Uwajumogu went through. 

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