Ihedioha may emerge Imo governor again as Supreme Court fixes date for appeals seeking Hope Uzodimma’s removal

The Supreme Court has indicated that it will, on 31st October, sit in two separate appeals seeking to nullify the All Progressives Congress (APC) eligibility in the 2019 governorship election in Imo state and remove Hope Uzodinma as governor.

The apex court disclosed last Monday through a notice of hearing on all parties in the appeal, marked SC/1384/2019, between Uche Nwosu and People’s Democratic Party (PDP)/Action People’s Party (APP).

The notice, dated 16th October, was signed by one of the Registrars of the apex court, A. Bature.

ThisDay reports that the PDP appeal was filed on 9th July 2020, but the Supreme Court gave the PDP a hearing date this week, over three years later.

Although the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared the candidate of the PDP, Emeka Ihedioha, winner of the 2019 governorship election in Imo State, the apex court, however, in a judgement in 2020, sacked Ihedioha and declared the candidate of the APC, Hope Uzodinma as lawful winner of the poll.

In the run-up to the 2019 Imo governorship election, the APP and its Imo State Governorship candidate, Mr Uche Nnadi and the PDP approached the Federal High Court, Abuja, seeking, amongst other reliefs, the disqualification of Ugwumba Uche Nwosu from contesting the Imo State Governorship election on the ground that he (Nwosu) was nominated by two political parties – Action Alliance (AA) and APC contrary to Section 37 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) which forbids double-nomination.

The PDP and APP won at the High court and Appeal court levels.

The apex court concurred in a December 2019 judgement that Nwosu is guilty of double nominations under the platform of two political parties – the APC and AA – a decision which led to the instant appeals.

Specifically, in these fresh appeals, both the PDP and APP are asking the Supreme Court to give effect to its judgement delivered in 2019, disqualifying Uche Nwosu from the Imo governorship election on the grounds of double nomination.

The grouse is predicated because the APC cannot have the governorship in the person of Uzodimma when the court had already voided the candidacy of Nwosu, whom the APC nominated for the said 2019 governorship poll.

The PDP is asking the Supreme Court to return its candidate, Ihedioha, as the election winner since APC was precluded from sponsoring two candidates in the Imo State governorship election.

PDP also asked the court for an order directing the Independent National Electoral Commission to withdraw the certificate of return issued to Uzodimma.

The party further sought an order sequel to the above, directing that the said gubernatorial candidate of the 3rd Respondent/Applicant in the Imo state Governorship election held on the 9th March 2019, lhedioha, be immediately sworn in as the governor of Imo state.