The Supreme Court sacked Emeka Ihedioha of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as the governor of Imo State on Tuesday, January 14, 2020.
In a unanimous judgment held by a seven-man panel, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Tanko Muhammad led the panel and declared Hope Uzodinma of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the March 9, 2019, Imo state gubernatorial election.
The judgment which was read by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun stated that results in 388 polling units were unlawfully excluded during the over-all collation of the governorship result in Imo State.
Justice Kekere-Ekun noted that results from the cancelled polling units amounted to 213, 295 votes, adding that Ihedioha’s win was based on the wrong computation of results. Consequently, with results from the 388 polling units added, the Supreme Court ruled that Uzodinma got the majority of lawful votes and ought to have been declared the winner of the March 9, 2019 election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The Supreme Court, therefore, ordered an immediate withdrawal of the Certificate of Return which was issued to Ihedioha by INEC. The court also directed that a fresh Certificate of Return be issued to Uzodinma adding that he should be sworn in immediately as the governor of Imo state.
Reacting to the court’s decision, The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) expressed shock over the judgment describing it as yet another very sad commentary on the nation’s democratic order.
In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, “The Party finds it difficult to understand how Senator Hope Uzodinma/APC, who came 4th in the March 9, 2019 governorship election, with just 96,458 votes, will suddenly, by the token of the judgment of the Supreme Court, defeats Gov Emeka Ihedioha/PDP that scored 276,404 votes.”
PDP added that “the destiny of the people of Imo state is being taken from the governor they chose and voted for and handed over to individuals and a political party that do not have their blessing and mandate and which they rejected at the election.”
Nevertheless, in response to the Court order, several Nigerians took to social media. Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, Nigeria’s Deputy Senate President congratulated Hope Uzodinma in a tweet. In his congratulatory message, he said: “I join millions of Nigerians in congratulating you on your well-deserved electoral victory at the Supreme Court.” The Deputy Senate President also added that light will always prevail over darkness no matter how long it takes.
OMO-AGEGE CONGRATULATES UZODINMA ON SUPREME COURT VICTORY
The Deputy President of the Senate has congratulated the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the 2019 Imo governorship election, Senator Hope Uzodinma on his victory at the Supreme Court.. pic.twitter.com/AD3fK9yEQs
— Senator Ovie Omo-Agege (@OvieOmoAgege) January 14, 2020
Also, Rochas Okorocha former governor of Imo state congratulated Uzodinma citing that “the Supreme Court has delivered justice to the good people of Imo state.” He, therefore, urged indigenes of Imo state to help the “new government to deliver the dividends of democracy.”
Today, my HOPE in the Nigerian state has been further strengthened. The Supreme Court has delivered justice to the good people of Imo state and reinforced our belief that illegality has no place in our polity.
I congratulate Governor Hope Uzodinma wholeheartedly.
— Senator Rochas Okorocha (@realRochas) January 14, 2020
Similarly, Twitter user Agunwa consoled Ihedioha saying “he fought hard to earn his victory.”
Ihedioha is a strong man any time any day. He fought hard to earn the victory. Today he lost to some forces who felt he is one of the rising stars of PDP in their 2023 permutations. But God is all powerful.
We move on.#Ihedioha
— Agunwa (@nwaikeokwu) January 15, 2020
In a report by Vanguardngr, Uzodinma issued a letter on Wednesday, January 15, 2020, freezing all accounts belonging to the Imo State government. Cosmos Iwu, Director-General of the Hope Uzodinma campaign organization addressed the letter to all financial institutions on behalf of the Governor-Elect.
“Following the Supreme Court judgment of 14 January 2020, I am directed by his excellency, Senator Hope Uzodinma, to take this as your authority/instruction to place a post no debit order on all accounts of the Imo state government maintained in your various institutions,” Iwu said.
With the acceptance and implementation of the Court order already taking effect in the eastern state, projects commissioned by Emeka Ihedioha are in danger of becoming futile. Inevitably, these uncompleted projects will lead to a host of abandoned works redirecting the established vision of the state.
The post Controversies surrounding Imo state gubernatorial elections appeared first on Ventures Africa.
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