The Supreme Court, on Tuesday, rejected a suit filed by Emeka Ihedioha of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Imo State, seeking a certificate of return as the rightful Governor of Imo State.
Emeka Ihedioha contested the legitimacy of Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma, asserting that Uzodinma wasn’t qualified to run for the position. Both candidates had contested against each other in the 2019 governorship election, with Uzodinma representing the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Ihedioha as the candidate of the PDP.
While the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) initially declared Ihedioha as the winner, the Supreme Court later overturned the decision, proclaiming Uzodinma as the authentic winner of the election.
Justice Tijjani Abubakar, in a ruling on Tuesday, dismissed Ihedioha’s application, deeming it lacking in merit and describing it as unnecessary and vexatious. The court awarded a cost of N40 million against Mike Ozekhome for bringing the matter before the court.
The Supreme Court’s decision marks a continuation of the legal battle surrounding the Imo State governorship election, with the ruling reinforcing Uzodinma’s legitimacy as the elected Governor of Imo State.
