By Destiny Day
Former Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo state has cried out over the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’s refusal to issue him with a certificate of return as senator-elect.
The 9th National Assembly will be inaugurated on Tuesday and Okorocha was looking forward to it and has been receiving congratulatory messages since Friday, June 7 when the court ordered that he be issued with certificate of return.
Ahead of the inauguration, Okorocha said he has been receiving congratulatory calls from those who saw him displaying certificate of return on social media such as Facebook.
In a statement on Monday, Sam Onwuemedo, Okorocha’s media aide, described pictures circulating on the internet showing the former governor holding a certificate of return as fake.
On Friday, a federal high court in Abuja had ordered INEC to issue a certificate of returnto Okorocha, having been declared winner of the February 23 senatorial election in Imo west district.
Onwuemedo said the ex-governor was still expecting it and that he would inform the public when the commission issues him the certificate.
Onwuemedo said: “The attention of the former governor of lmo State, His Excellency Owelle Rochas Okorocha has been drawn to fake photo news showing where he is holding what appears like a certificate purportedly issued to him by INEC.
“The photograph in question expectedly has been trending on social media. And we have been receiving calls from well-meaning Nigerians to that effect, either congratulating the former governor or to confirm the authenticity of the photo news.
“The truth is that the photograph is fake and didn’t emanate from us. On our side, we don’t engage in awkward actions.
“When the former governor and the senator-elect for lmo West senatorial District receives his certificate of Return, we will duly inform the general public.”
