Court strikes out suit restraining INEC from issuing certificate of return to Ihedioha

BY: Ikenna Oluka

A Federal High Court sitting in Owerri on Friday struck out a suit restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from issuing certificate of return to Imo governor-elect,  Mr Emeka Ihedioha.

 The court also ruled that post-election matters belonged to the election tribunals.

 Candidate of the Action Alliance (AA) in the March 9 governorship election, Mr Uche Nwosu had gone to court to get an order restraining the court from issuing a certificate of return to People’s Democratic Party (PDP)’s Emeka Ihedioha.

 Nwosu had argued that Ihedioha did not meet the required 25 per cent of the votes in 18 out of the 27 LGs in Imo.

 Striking the matter out, Justice Tijjani Ringim held that post-election matters are to be handled by the election tribunal.

 Ringim said that “the quest for justice must be in line with the constitution. Post-election matters belong to election tribunal “.

 News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the INEC had on March 11 declared Ihedioha winner of the election.

 Ihedioha had polled a total 273,404 votes to defeat Nwosu who came second with 190,364 votes. (NAN)