The Supreme Court has finally laid to rest the All Progressive Congress (APC) battle for Imo North Senatorial District bye-election as it declares Frank Ibezim as the senator-elect.
In a unanimous judgment by the Supreme Court delivered by Justice Emmanuel Agim, the court held that the suit which led to the disqualification of Ibezim for allegedly supplying false information to secure nomination was statute-barred at the time it was instituted.
Justice Agim noted that the suit was not filed within 14 days when the cause of action arose which violates Section 285 of the 1999.
Justice Agim while setting aside the judgments of both the Federal High Court and that of the Court of Appeal held that the appeal of Ibezim against the two judgments was meritorious, enforceable and granted it.
The Supreme Court subsequently declared Ibezim as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the December 5, 2020 by-election and also as winner of the election it, therefore, nullified the concurrent judgments of the Federal High Court in Abuja and that of the Court of Appeal which nullified the candidacy of Ibezim on the ground of perjury.
Ibezim had been kicked out as APC candidate on account of irreconcilable differences in the names on the certificates he presented to secure nomination and for supplying false information in his other documents.
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Ekwo had on December 4, 2020, sacked Ibezim as the candidate of the APC for the December 5 by-election in Imo North Senatorial District on the grounds that he made false statements and declarations in the affidavit and documents he submitted to his party, the APC and INEC.
(Editor: Omor Bazuaye)
