The former Governor of Imo State, Rochas Anayo Okorocha, the controversial senator-elect for Imo West district, was present at the inauguration of the Senate on Tuesday but was not recognized by the National Assembly management which conducted the inauguration and election of presiding officers of the Upper Chamber of the federal legislature.
Apparently, Okorocha was not absent from the inauguration of the Senate on Tuesday.
Former Governor Rochas Okorocha was gathered to have arrived the National Assembly at about 7:45am on Tuesday. However, he was not accredited as his name was omitted on the register of newly elected senators slated to be sworn in on Tuesday.
Okorocha was accordingly excluded from participating in the election of the senate president and the deputy senate president by the 107 newly elected senators in attendance at the inauguration of the Ninth National Assembly.
The Returning Officer of the February 23 National Assembly election in Imo West senatorial district had while announcing the result of the election, declared that he was announcing the result under duress, saying that he was making the announcement to save his life and ensure his wife and children did not lose in because of election duties. He maintained his life was threatened if he didn’t declare the then Imo governor winner of the election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in the bid to protect officials sent on elections assignment, ordered the withholding of the certificate of return to Okorocha whose victory was declared under duress by the INEC returning Officer in the senatorial district.
The controversy has been an issue of litigation on which a Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the issue of certificate of return to Okorocha.
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