Despite the ruling by the Appeal Court yesterday, upholding the ban placed on the Okigwe Senate APC candidate Frank Ibezim, by an Abuja High Court, it may still not be uhuru for Senator Ifeanyi Araraume, who had earlier been sacked by the Supreme Court in a separate suit, to determine the authentic candidate of the party.
Ibezim was in court, to defend himself against allegations of presenting false educational documents.
A ban had been handled down on him, by the High Court, barring him for life, from holding any public office.
The High Court’s verdict was yesterday 6th of February 2021, upheld by the Court of Appeal.
The news came as a delight to supporters of Senator Ifeanyi Araraume, who now hope that the baton will be handed over to Araraume.
But looking at the similarities of the case, with what happened in Bayelsa State, where the certificate discrepancies of the Deputy Governorship candidate, cost APC the seat, one begins to wonder if the same will happen in the Okigwe Senate Bye-election, with the PDP candidate Okewulonu, emerging victorious.
As far as the race to replace the late Senator Benjamin Uwajumogu is concerned, Senator Ifeanyi Araraume may have come to the end of the road.
Whether the Supreme Court ruling is favourable or not, it may not have any direct favourable impact on Araraume’s Senatorial ambition.
Araraume may find solace, if Ibezim is sacked by the Surpreme Court, or if he scales that hurdle, the suit filed by the PDP, insisting that APC had no candidate on the day of Election, may still stop him.
Araraume may now set his eyes on trying one last time for the Govenroship seat in 2023, if he is not forced to retirement, by his failure to win the Senate seat.
