Governor Hope Uzodinma backed candidate, Frank Ibezim, has been declared as the winner of the Imo North senatorial bye-election by the Supreme Court.
The apex court in an unanimous judgment on Friday delivered by Justice Emmanuel Agim, 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 Constitution.
While setting aside the judgments of both the Federal High Court and that of the Court of Appeal, Justice Agim 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.
The lower courts had kicked Ibezim out as APC candidate based on irreconcilable differences in the names on the certificates he presented to secure nomination and for supplying false information in his other documents.
The Federal High Court had after sacking Ibezim, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to issue a certificate of return to Senator Ifeanyi Ararume as the valid candidate of the APC in the December 5, Imo North senatorial bye-election.