I have forgiven INEC says Rochas

The former Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, says he has forgiven Prof. Innocent Ibeabuchi, the returning officer for the Imo West senatorial election, in the 2019 general elections.

Okorocha said this in a statement by his media aide,  Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo.

The statement came shortly after Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue Okorocha the Certificate of Return as a senator-elect for Imo-West.

Okorocha said he had forgiven Ibeabuchi, who had alleged he declared the former governor winner under duress.

He thanked the court for affirming his victory, describing Justice Abang as one of the exemplary ambassadors of the judiciary in Nigeria.

He said that he would continue to play politics devoid of rancour, malice, and bitterness.

Abang had ruled that the INEC had no right under any known law in the country to withhold the certificate of return of a candidate who had been announced and returned as winner of an election by the returning officer.

The judge had also ordered the INEC to immediately issue a certificate of return to Okorocha, as winner of the said election.