2019 Elections: INEC excludes Rochas Okorocha’s name from list of Senators-Elect, give reasons

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released a comprehensive list of Senators-elect, following the February 23 Presidential and National Assembly elections.

In a statement from the electoral body on Monday, INEC announced that it would present certificates of return to those whose names are on the list on Thursday, March 14.

However, some names were omitted from the list which had a provision for 109 slots, with various remarks as to the reason for the omission.

Very notable among those who were omitted was Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, who won the election for Imo West Senatorial district.
According to INEC, the governor’s name was omitted over the allegation that the returning officer declared him the winner ‘under duress’.

The list was published two weeks after Nigerians elected their representatives at both chambers of the National Assembly, for another four years.
The election was keenly contested by candidates of various political parties, as some lawmakers and sitting state governors were shocked by their co-contestants in the polls.

The Returning Officer for Imo West district election, Professor Ibeawuchi Innocent, had said that he declared Governor Okorocha the winner under duress.
“I declared this thing before under duress; I’m still under duress declaring this one,” Professor Innocent had said at the collation centre in February.
But the governor faulted the allegations and accused the returning officer of acting a script.

He had also called on the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state to call the electoral official to order.
In his reaction, INEC Chairman Professor Mahmood Yakubu stated that the commission would not reward “bad behaviour”.
The INEC boss had warned that politicians caught in any act of electoral malpractice would not receive the certificate of return