Weeks after the Supreme Court sacked him as governor of Imo State, Emeka Ihedioha on Wednesday formally applied for a review of the judgement. Ihedioha submitted his request at the Supreme Court headquarters in Abuja, his aide on new media AIC Akwarandu said.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday, January 14 nullified Ihedioha’s election as governor and declared Hope Uzodinma of the All Progressive Congress (APC) as the winner of the March 9 governorship election in the state.
In the final result announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said Uzodinma was fourth in the election, behind Uche Nwosu of the Action Alliance (AA) and Ifeanyi Ararume of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA).
The seven-member panel of the Supreme Court led by Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Tanko Muhammad said the evidence tendered by Uzodinma and APC was lawful. The court said votes due to Uzodinma and APC from 388 polling units were not credited in the final result.
In reaction, Ihedioha said the Supreme Court’s verdict has put the electoral process, the judiciary and democracy in Nigeria on trial. “It is not about Emeka Ihedioha, it is not about Imo State. It is about tomorrow. Do you go into an electoral process without having an idea? It has to be resolved one way or the other,” Ihedioha said.
On Monday, Secondus called on eminent Nigerians and lovers of democracy to speak out on the matter.
“Today, it is at the door of Imo. Tomorrow, it will be at another person’s door. So, people must speak out,” Secondus said.
In another development, Ihedioha accused Uzodinma of feeding Nigerians with lies on the true state of affairs in Imo state. In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Chibuike Onyeukwu, Ihedioha said Uzodinma has resorted to making claims that are false, unfounded and misleading. He said most of the projects the governor claimed he has achieved and are taking credit for, are all signatures of his achievements he made as a governor in the state.
“We wish to inform the general public that all the claims made by the Senator, concerning the Supreme Court judgment, the matters arising from it, restoration of pipe borne water and electricity, as well as payment of all outstanding salaries owed Imo workers are blatant lies and deliberate distortion of facts, aimed at currying legitimacy.”
“Firstly, we bear no grudge on his statement that the Supreme Court cannot review its January 14, 2020 judgment. That is the extent he knows to sustain his deception and illegitimate government. Claiming that time for election petition has elapsed was playing to the gallery, he engaged in a failed ambush of the Supreme Court. The Court knows that Ihedioha has a very good case as shown in all the glaring facts of the matter and so, does not require his lame opinion.”
