Anthony Iwuoma
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Friday, issued Sir Frank Ibezim with Certificate of Return thus bringing to an end the protracted battle for who represents Imo North Senatorial District in the Ninth Senate to an end.
The former Imo commissioner had, for the past months, engaged in unending tussle with Sen. Ifeanyi Araraume over the slot vacated by the late Sen. Ben Uwajimogu.
However, the Supreme Court, on Friday, April 16, affirmed Ibezim as the authentic candidate of the APC, the winning party in the December 5, by-election last year.
Strangely, despite the ruling of the apex court, Araraume and his lawyers had in a letter to INEC insisted that the former lawmaker should be issued certificate of return.
With Ibezim’s issuance of the Certificate of Return, today, there remains no more Rivers to cross, as he awaits his inauguration by the Senate next week.
Ibezim’s march to the Red Chamber was fraught with a lot of obstacles, the most challenging being trumped up charges of certificate forgery. However, pundits say that his calm disposition, dogged fight and absolute trust in God have paid off and all he has to do now is to quickly address the deficiencies in his constituency that has been without representation for close to two years now.
