The Supreme Court has sacked the Imo State Governor, Emeka Ihedioha of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and declared Senator Hope Uzodimma of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the 2019 election.
The seven-member panel of justices, today, January 14, held that Emeka Ihedioha was not duly elected Governor.
The seven-member panel of justices, today, January 14, held that Emeka Ihedioha was not duly elected Governor.
The apex court declared that the votes due to Senator Uzodinma was unlawfully excluded from the 318 polling units and be added to his votes.
In a unanimous decision by the seven-man panel delivered by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, the submissions of a Principal witness who was on a subpoena to present results held that the lower court was wrong in its ruling
The court accordingly ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to withdraw the Certificate of Return issued to Ihedioha and issue a fresh Certificate of Return to candidate of the APC on grounds that he won majority of lawful votes cast at the election.
The court held that the lower courts erred in law when it were rejected evidence tendered before them to the extent that votes from 388 polling units were not credited to the APC and Hope Uzodinma.
Earlier in the day, the issue of candidacy of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the March 9, 2019 governorship election in Imo state has forced one of the candidates, Uche Nwosu, to withdraw his appeal at the Supreme Court.
Nwosu, who decamped to the Action Alliance (AA) before the election, was said to have also been presented by a faction of the APC as the party’s candidate in the election.
At the resumed hearing of the appeals from Imo State today, Nwosu’s counsel, Solomon Umoh (SAN), informed the apex court panel that he has advised his client to withdraw since the apex court had on December 20 disqualified him for laying claim to two political party nominations.
“My lordship, the issue has been addressed as to the validity of the APC candidate. It is not possible for APC to have two candidates,” Umoh said.
However, when Umoh indicated he would leave it to the discretion of the panel to decide whether Nwosu can still pursue his other appeal as the candidate of AA, the panel overruled him, saying: “nothing can bring him here. That matter is gone. Your client has no locus standi to bring this appeal,” Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun said.
As a result, the CJN struck out Nwosu’s appeal, including the cross appeal against it brought by Governor Emeka Ihedioha through his counsel, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN).
Nwosu, who decamped to the Action Alliance (AA) before the election, was said to have also been presented by a faction of the APC as the party’s candidate in the election.
At the resumed hearing of the appeals from Imo State today, Nwosu’s counsel, Solomon Umoh (SAN), informed the apex court panel that he has advised his client to withdraw since the apex court had on December 20 disqualified him for laying claim to two political party nominations.
“My lordship, the issue has been addressed as to the validity of the APC candidate. It is not possible for APC to have two candidates,” Umoh said.
However, when Umoh indicated he would leave it to the discretion of the panel to decide whether Nwosu can still pursue his other appeal as the candidate of AA, the panel overruled him, saying: “nothing can bring him here. That matter is gone. Your client has no locus standi to bring this appeal,” Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun said.
As a result, the CJN struck out Nwosu’s appeal, including the cross appeal against it brought by Governor Emeka Ihedioha through his counsel, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN).
