It is certainly not uhuru for APC as regards the Okigwe Senatorial bye-election. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the party victorious in the election without any candidate.
The party was enmeshed in crisis after the primary election where it had two candidates laying claims to its ticket, in the persons of Senator Ifeanyi Ararume and Sir Frank Ibezim. Each claimed victory in the primary election.
Irked by the acceptance of Ibezim by the state and national leadership of the party as the authentic candidate of the party after the primaries, Senator Ifeanyi Ararume approached a Federal High Court which looked at the whole scenario and declared him the authentic candidate of the party.
Ibezim who has the full backing of the state governor and other powers that be in the party, both at the national and state levels, however approached the appeal court which later ruled on the case, dismissing the judgment of the lower court and declared Ibezim as the rightful candidate. Meanwhile, before the judgment of the Appeal Court, a federal High Court in Abuja had on the same day ruled in a certificate forgery allegation brought before it, against Chief Frank Ibezim. It banned Ibezim from holding any public office for life.
As all these are unfolding, the Okigwe Senatorial seat is still vacant, waiting for the APC to clear its mess and claim the seat kept for it by INEC. Even when it (APC) had no clear candidate the party was declared winner of the polls by the electoral umpire.
Latest in the case is a Supreme Court judgment which was said to have affirmed Ibezim as the authentic candidate of the APC.
Meanwhile, as the camp of Ibezim was rejoicing over the latest Supreme Court judgment that affirmed the earlier judgment of Appeal Court which dismissed the judgment of a federal High Court in favour of Araraume, their joy was cut short when by another judgment of the Appeal Court which has upheld the judgment of the Federal High Court which banned him (Ibezim) from holding any public office for life over certificate forgery.
What the whole thing implies is, as it stands now, neither Ararume nor Ibezim has been cleared to occupy the position. While the hope of Senator Ifeanyi Ararume may have been completely dashed since the Supreme Court which is the court of last resort has ruled on his case, Ibezim still has the last chance. He will definitely be heading to the Supreme Court and expecting it to upturn the judgment of the two lower courts and remove the ban to hold public office on him
He will be banking on the support of the governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma who himself benefitted from the benevolence of the Supreme Court. He will want him to use his favour and contact with the Supreme Court to make him have his way, so he can pick up the mantle as the Senator representing Okigwe zone in the red chamber of the national assembly.
However, it is not likely that the Supreme Court will be willing to do the governor the favour the second time. The evidence against Ibezim seems quite enormous, reason the appeal court did not find it difficult in aligning with the earlier judgment of the Federal High Court.
In the above scenario, the plight of other political parties who contested the election should be put into consideration. Why is it that they will just stand by and watch a political party whose house is not in order to continue to toy with such a big political office which they all spent fortunes in contesting for?
It is said that when two elephants fight the grasses suffer. Okigwe zone is the worst for it. The fight for the Soul of Okigwe Senator has kept the zone without one since the demise of Senator Uwajumogu two years ago. It is not yet certain when this debacle will come to an end. It is only when the battle is finally won and lost that the zone will begin to have a feel of legislation on issues that affect them.
Meanwhile, based on the above rulings against the two APC candidates which party was declared to have won the election, the coast appears clear for the seat to go to the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate. Okewulonu political observers believe is on his way to the hallowed chambers.
