Hours after the Court of Appeal sitting in Owerri, Imo State validated Mr Frank Ibezim as candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Imo North senatorial by-election slated for Dec. 5, his camp has categorically said they will buy votes with money to win the election.
Justice Uchechukwu Onyemenam read the judgement unanimously delivered by a three man jury on Friday barely 24 hours to the election and effectively sacking Senator Ifeanyi Araraume as candidate of the APC.
In a viral video, Ibezim campaigners were seen boasting of how they will buy votes with money. “Vote for APC. On Saturday night, I will come with my result from Isiala Mbano. We believe in finishing the job. We will go to the grassroots and talk to the people in the language they understand. What they understand is money. We will give our people money and they will go and vote for us,” they said.
The message seemed to sit well with all the APC members at the small rally as they chorused along.
The by-election was necessitated by the death of erstwhile senator, Benjamin Uwajumogu which left the position vacant.
Ifeanyi Araraume had been declared candidate on Nov. 6 by a Federal High Court which also sacked Ibezim who was initially declared winner of the APC’s primary election.
The court faulted the Nov. 6 judgement and said that the revalidation of Ibezim’s candidacy was in line with the electoral Act, having been declared winner of the party’s primary election.
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