Governor Rochas Okorocha denies receiving certificate of return from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
The former governor Imo state, Rochas Okorocha, has raised an alarm saying he is yet to get a certificate of return as a duly elected senator from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Okorocha allegedly issued this statement through Sam Onwuemedo, his media aide.
The former governor described pictures circulating on the internet showing the former governor holding a certificate of return as fake.
Okorocha said he would tell Nigerians once he receives the certificate.
“The attention of the former governor of lmo state, His Excellency Owelle Rochas Okorocha, has been drawn to fake photo news showing where he is holding what appears like a certificate purportedly issued to him by INEC,” he said.
“The photograph in question expectedly has been trending on social media. And we have been receiving calls from well-meaning Nigerians to that effect, either congratulating the former governor or to confirm the authenticity of the photo news,” he said.
The statement emphasized that the photograph is fake and never emanated from him or his team.
A Federal High Court in Abuja had recently ordered INEC to issue a certificate of return to Okorocha.
The court made the decision saying Okorocha was declared the winner of the February 23.
Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had said that it would meet on Tuesday, June 11, regarding judgments and orders issued or served on it from various courts of law on issuance of certificates of return.
Festus Okoye, INEC national commissioner and chairman, information and voter education committee, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday, June 10, in Abuja.
Okoye stated this while reacting to enquiry on the commission’s decision on a court order, directing it to issue certificates of return to a senator and five House of Representatives members under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bauchi state.