Nigeria, March 13 -- The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is set to issue a certificate of return to Orji Kalu, a former governor of Abia State, who was controversially declared winner of a senatorial election in the state last month.

The commission listed Mr Kalu as one of the 100 senators-elect from the February 23 election who would be issued return certificates at a ceremony scheduled for Thursday morning in Abuja.

But the results released by INEC for the Abia North Senatorial District showed that Mr Kalu did not win the election outright and should not have been declared winner by the returning officer.

Mr Kalu polled 31,201 votes, according to Charles Anumudu, the INEC returning officer for the district, while inc...