The Imo First Group (IFG) has challenged those circulating reports that a magistrate court ordered the arrest of Senator Ifeanyi Araraume and former Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha to make the purported warrant public.
The Imo First Group described the reports as fabricated, insisting that no magistrate had issued a bench warrant for the arrest of the two prominent Imo politicians over allegations of criminal conspiracy and forgery.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday, IFG accused those behind the reports of spreading misinformation over an alleged dispute involving the presentation of purportedly fake All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election results in Imo State.
The group alleged that the report first appeared on social media through Hon. Ambrose Nwaogwugwu, a media aide to Governor Hope Uzodimma, before being circulated by other media organisations, including Arise TV.
According to IFG, the reports claimed that a Senior Magistrate Court sitting in Abuja had issued a bench warrant dated September 9, 2026, following a petition allegedly submitted by the Imo State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Barrister Chukwuemeka Ibejiako, to the police and the Department of State Services (DSS) on October 8, 2026.
The petition was said to concern allegations surrounding the presentation of fake APC primary election results.
However, IFG questioned the authenticity of the purported warrant, pointing to what it described as a major inconsistency in the dates cited in the reports.
The group noted that the alleged warrant was dated September 9, while the petition said to have triggered the proceedings was dated October 8, 2026 — nearly a month later.
It also cited case number CR/M/084/2026 while challenging those circulating the report to produce the actual court document.
“We want to state categorically and unequivocally that no Senior Magistrate ordered or issued any bench warrant for the arrest of Araraume,” the group said.
IFG further alleged that an attempt to obtain an ex-parte order had been rejected by the magistrate, claiming that the court declined the request and threatened to arrest those involved.
The group questioned why reports of an arrest warrant continued to circulate despite what it described as the court’s refusal to grant the application.
It also accused unnamed political actors of using the controversy to target prominent sons of Imo State, alleging that the matter had been dragged into partisan political disputes.
The group challenged anyone claiming that a valid warrant existed to publish it for public scrutiny.
“If you claim to have a court order, present same for the public to see,” IFG demanded.
Don’t Miss Out! Join our WhatsApp Channel for instant news updates. Click here to join
