A Federal High Court in Abuja has disqualified Chukwuma Francis Ibezim as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Imo North Senatorial by-election.
In the judgment delivered on Friday, Justice Inyang Ekwo said Ibezim was disqualified from contesting the election on the grounds that he made false statements/declarations in the affidavit and documents he submitted to the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), wherein he presented falsified and uncertified photocopies of West African Examination Council (WAEC) certificate.
Justice Ekwo found that the WASC certificate he submitted ” bears two different and irreconcilable names – Ibezim Chukwuma Frank and Ibezim Francis Chukwuma.
The judge ordered INEC to remove his name from the list of candidates for the by-election.
The judgement was on a suit marked:FHC/ABJ/CS/1229/2020 filed by Asomugha Tony Elebeke, with Ibezim, APC and INEC as defendants.
Months ago, the Chairman of the Imo North Senatorial Screening Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Dr. Lawrence Chukwu, had stated that Ibezim did not qualify to contest the primary.
Chukwu stated in his report that Ibezim “did not submit any originals of his educational/qualification certificates or properly certified true copies for citing.
“He presented a statutory declaration of age deposedto by one Emmanuel lbezim, who happens to be hiselder brother. The statutory age declaration was notsigned by the declarant, which rendered thethe document invalid.”
Meanwhile, the APC candidate recognized by the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the December 5 by-election is Senator Ifeanyi Ararume.
