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The Court of Appeal sitting in Owerri, on Thursday upheld the election of immediate past governor of Imo State, Sen. Rochas Okorocha, as the senator repreaenting Imo West senatorial district.
Delivering judgement on the appeals filed by appeals filed by Sen. Osita Izunaso of the All Progressives Grand Alliance(APGA) and Jones Onyereri of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), against Okorocha’s victory, the chairman of the panel, Justice R.A Ada, said the appeals lacked merit.
The judge stated that the judgement of the Tribunal which upheld Okorocha’s election was in order.
The panel said the petitioners could not prove their allegations of violence, over-voting, mutilation of electoral results and hijacking of electoral officers.
Newspeakonline recalls that Okorocha was decalred the winner of the February 23 election but the returning officer alleged that he declared the former governor winner of the election under duress, which prompted the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) to withold his certificate of return.