Justice Okon Abang at a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has nullified the decision of INEC refusing to present former Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, with a certificate of return as senator-elect.
The Justice ruled that the decision to deprive Okorocha of the certificate, falls outside the provisions of the law and was therefore a lawless decision.
According to the court, only the returning officer of the INEC had the constitutional authority to declare a winner.
Mr Abang said any person declared a winner by the returning officer remains a winner until petitioners succeed in upturning the declaration at the election tribunal.
INEC had initially stated that it refused to give Okorocha certificate of return after the returning officer for Imo West senatorial district said he was compelled to declare him winner.