President Muhammadu Buhari has on Tuesday, January 14, 2020, expressed joy in the Supreme Court judgment which declared Hope Uzodinma, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, governor of Imo state, southeast Nigeria.
The Trent had reported earlier how Supreme Court sacked Emeka Ihedioha as governor of Imo state and affirmed Uzodinma as the winner of the March 9 governorship election.
A seven-man panel of justices in a unanimous decision on Tuesday, January 14, 2020, held that Ihedioha did not win the majority of votes cast in the election.
Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, the presiding judge who read the judgment, ordered INEC to withdraw the certificate of return issued to Ihedioha and give a fresh one to his APC rival.
“The votes due to the appellant, Hope Uzodinma and the All Progressives Congress, APC, from 388 polling units were wrongly excluded from scores ascribed to them,” Justice Kekere-Ekun ruled.
“It is hereby ordered that Emeka Ihedioha, was not duly elected by majority of lawful votes cast at the said election. His return as the elected governor of Imo state is hereby declared null and void and accordingly set aside.
“It is hereby declared that the first appellant (Uzodinma) holds the majority of lawful votes cast at the governorship election held in Imo State on March 9, 2019, and has satisfied the mandatory constitutional requirement.
“It is hereby declared that first appellant, senator Hope Uzodinma is the winner of the governorship of Imo State held on March 9, 2019.
“The certificate issued to the first respondent (Ihedioha) is hereby withdrawn. It is hereby ordered that the certificate of return shall be issued to the first appellant, Hope Uzodinma, forthwith and he should be sworn in as the governor of Imo State,” the judge added.
Reacting to the judgment, President Buhari said: “The road to justice may be long and tortuous, but it is the best path for anyone aggrieved.
“Under the new administration, a new journey to build a new Imo with new energy is about to begin. In this outcome, it is the people of Imo State who have emerged victorious,” the President added.
The president urged Uzodinma to promote the ideals of the APC and unite the state by running an inclusive administration.
‘Hope Uzodinma Came 4th, How Did You Declare Him Winner?’ – PDP Questions Supreme Court
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has expressed shock over the judgement of the Supreme Court on the Imo state governorship election stressing that the destiny of the people of Imo state is being taken from the governor they chose.
The party in a statement, issued on Tuesday, January 14, 2020, by its national spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, said it is still surprised at the judgment, describing it as yet another very sad commentary on the nation’s democratic order.
The PDP questioned the judgment, wondering how a candidate, who came fourth in the election, suddenly got the nod from the apex court.
“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,” the main opposition party said.
#Imo Magic!
Party Candidates Votes as declared by INEC
PDP: Ihedioha Emeka 273,404
AA: Uche Nwosu 190,364
APGA: Ifeanyi Ararume 114,676
APC: Hope Uzodinma 96,458
YPP: Ikedi Ohakim 527
And Hope Uzodima who came 4th has been declared as Governor by the Supreme Court.
— Lere Olayinka – Aresa 1 (@OlayinkaLere) January 14, 2020
“In fact, the PDP and indeed, most Nigerians are still at a loss as to understand the basis upon which the Supreme Court arrived at its decision.
“The party says it is lamentable 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.”
Would someone please explain to me how a candidate that came 4th in the election suddenly became the winner? The Supreme Court has a lot of explaining to do! The people of Imo did not deserve this nonsense!
— Femi Fani-Kayode (@realFFK) January 14, 2020
It added that the stability already achieved by the Ihedioha-led government will now be jeopardized.
“The people of Imo state are now confronted with the challenge of having a government that they cannot identify with and which cannot connect with them, having not emanated from them.
“Moreover, all the gains, including the development and stability already achieved by the people-based government, under Governor Emeka Ihedioha/PDP administration in the state are now heavily jeopardized.”
The party asked its stakeholders in the state to remain united and calm, and await further instruction from the national leadership on the development.
