The jubilation of the Okigwe APC candidate, Mr. Frank Ibezim, was yesterday cut short by the ruling of the Appeal Court, which upheld the ruling of the Abuja High Court, banning him from holding public office for the rest of his life.
Should the Supreme Court uphold the verdict of the High Court and Appeal Court, Frank Ibezim and his backers, Senator Hope Uzodinma and Hon Emeka Nwajiuba, may have only succeeded in dampening Araraume’s political future for another four years, but Araraume would have dealt Ibezim a politically and career fatal blow, barring him from ever holding any public Office, and even opening him up to litigations and possible jail term, should he ever attempt to hold any public office in his future.
The Okigwe Senate outcomes, have been shrouded in legal cobwebs, from the primaries stages up till date.
Ibezim was declared by winner of the APC Primaries, by the Marcon Nlemigbo faction backed by Hope Uzodinma.
Araraume on the other hand, was also declared winner by the Daniel Nwafor faction, backed by former Govenror Rochas Okorocha.
Araraume would remove Ibezim through a High Court ruling, but Ibezim would upturn the ruling at the Appeal Court on the eve of the Bye-election.
Interestingly, Araraume would get Ibezim barred on the same eve of the Bye-election, through a High Court ruling.
Ibezim would eventually defeat Araraume, to be declared the authentic candidate of the party, but the Appeal Court ruling yesterday 6th of February 2021, has put a dangerous damper on his future.
Now he is not just fighting for his Senatorial ambition, Ibezim is practically fighting for his life.
A Supreme Court verdict, upholding the High Court and Appeal Court ruling, means Frank Ibezim cannot even hold a secretarial job in any public office. He would not be available for any political or public appointments, as taking any, would amount to violation of the ruling, and can even land him in jail.
Confusion still prevails in Okigwe, as despite the APC being ruled winner of the election, the party did not field a candidate on the day of Election.
Frank Ibezim will head to the Supreme Court, to save his political and public life, and may probably be regretting ever going toe to toe with Senator Ifeanyi Araraume, as he would be the one to suffer the outcome of an unfavourable verdict, not those backing him.
