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With less than 24 hours to the Imo North senatorial bye-election, Frank Ibezim, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has been disqualified from participating in the election.
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Friday disqualified Ibezim as candidate of the APC in the bye-election for making false declaration in the documents he submitted to INEC.
This is coming just few hours after an Appeal Court sitting in Owerri, the state capital, declared him as the authentic candidate of the APC primary, after a legal tussle with another aspirant, Ifeanyi Ararume.
In his ruling, Justice Inyang Ekwo, said the affidavit and documents submitted by Ibezim were falsified, adding that he also submitted uncertified photocopies of West African Examination Council (WAEC) certificate.
The judge held that the documents of the candidate bear two different and irreconcilable names – Ibezim Chukwuma Frank and Ibezim Francis Chukwuma.
Ekwo directed INEC to expunge Ibezim’s name from the list of candidates for the bye-election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will conduct the senatorial bye-election in the state on Saturday, to fill the seat that became vacant, following the death of Benjamin Uwajiomogu.
Bye-elections will also hold simultaneously in 10 other states across the country.