Posted on Feb 05, 2020
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.
But former Nigeria vice president Atiku Abubakar, the party’s presidential candidate in the 2019 election, urged Ihedioha and the PDP to accept the Supreme Court verdict. He urged Ihedioha not to be deterred by the court judgement but to overcome his setbacks and “come back stronger.”