Okorocha's name missing from INEC's list of newly-elected Senators

Even though Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, was declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the Senator-elect for Imo West Senatorial district, he is not on the commission's official list.

The returning officer for Imo West senatorial zone, Innocent Ibeabuchi, announced Okorocha the winner of the seat with 97,762 votes.

However, the INEC official disclosed that he announced the result under duress as he was detained by Okorocha's supporters at the collation centre.

"I have been held hostage here for days so I'm trying to ease off and take my life home back to my children and for the sake of that I am calling these results under duress," he said.

In the list of names for Senators-elect posted on INEC's website on Monday, March 11, the slot for Imo West was empty.

"Declaration made under duress," was the the reason provided for the omission of Okorocha's name.

During an inter-agency consultative committee on election security last week, INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, said the commission will not issue certificates of return to any candidate declared winner of an election under duress.

"The commission will not tolerate the act of holding our officials' hostage and forcing them to declare winners under duress.

"Where such occurs, the commission will not reward bad behaviour by issuing them certificates of return," he said.

Certificates of return will be issued to Senators-elect in Abuja on Tuesday, March 12, but Okorocha will not be issued one.

It's unclear what will be his fate and how INEC will resolve the situation.