Toba Owojaiye ReportingÂ
The Supreme Court has scheduled a crucial hearing on October 31 regarding appeals challenging the eligibility of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2019 Imo State gubernatorial election and the potential unseating of Governor Hope Uzodinma.
These appeals have been brought forth by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Action People’s Party (APP). Their goal is to uphold the 2019 Supreme Court ruling that disqualified Uche Nwosu of the AA and APC for dual nominations, preventing him from participating in the Imo governorship election. The notification of this hearing has been formally served to all concerned parties.
At the heart of these appeals is the argument that the APC should not have been allowed to field two candidates in the Imo State governorship election. The appellants are steadfast in their belief that this contravenes the law. Consequently, they are urging the Supreme Court to reinstate their candidate, Emeka Ihedioha, as the rightful winner of the election.
The upcoming hearing on October 31 is poised to be a pivotal moment in the ongoing legal battle surrounding the 2019 Imo State gubernatorial election.
The Supreme Court’s previous decision, which ousted Emeka Ihedioha of the PDP as the governor of Imo State and declared Hope Uzodinma of the APC as the victor of the March 9, 2019, gubernatorial election, is central to the dispute.
This decision was based on the inclusion of results from 388 polling units that were previously excluded during the result collation process.
Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, speaking on behalf of the seven-member panel, confirmed that with the addition of these results, Hope Uzodinma obtained a majority of lawful votes and should have been declared the election winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Details of the new vote totals were not provided by the judge.
Consequently, Emeka Ihedioha’s victory was nullified, and the certificate of return erroneously issued to him was withdrawn. A fresh certificate of return was ordered to be issued to Hope Uzodinma as the elected governor of the state.
This legal saga involves multiple appeals, including those from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and its candidate Ifeanyi Ararume, the Action Alliance (AA) and its candidate Uche Nwosu, and the APC and its candidate Hope Uzodinma.
These appellants are collectively challenging Emeka Ihedioha’s election on the grounds that he did not secure the constitutionally mandated one-quarter of the votes in at least two-thirds of the 27 local government areas of the state as outlined in Section 179 of the Constitution. They are seeking to have the decision of the election petition tribunal overturned and be declared the election winners or, alternatively, to prompt a rerun.
In a surprising turn of events, Uche Nwosu withdrew his appeal based on a prior Supreme Court ruling that invalidated his nomination as a candidate for the election. The court accepted his withdrawal.
This political and legal turmoil is underscored by the complexity and significance of the case, as it not only impacts the 2019 Imo State gubernatorial election but also has broader political implications for the Nigeria and legal jurisprudence at large.
The involvement of influential figures, such as controversial Catholic cleric Ejike Mbaka, further adds to the intrigue and attention surrounding this case.