Ihedioha heads for S’Court to seek judgment review

…Groups query decision, say review would save democracy

Sacked governor of Imo State, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), will today approach the Supreme Court for a review of its judgment of January 14, 2020 in which it declared Senator Hope Uzodinma of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as governor of the state.

An associate of the sacked governor, Dr. Manzo Abubakar, disclosed this in Abuja at a press conference in which a group of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) reviewed judgment, and queried the rationale behind the Supreme Court’s decision.

Abubakar, who said he is the Executive Director of the Abuja Discussion Group (ADG), said Ihedioha’s legal team will be at Supreme Court to seek a review of the judgment.

He said Ihedioha’s decision to return to the apex court was part of effort to deepen the nation’s democracy and explore democratic means of ensuing justice.

“The judgment will go down in infamy and may make Nigeria a laughing stock in the comity of nations, if not reviewed”, he said.

He added that Section 176(2b) of the constitution is clear that to be declared as governor, a candidate must have not only the majority of total votes cast but also 1/4 of the votes in 2/3 of the local governments of the state.

“It is axiomatic that nowhere in the petition or evidence did the petitioner, (Uzodinma) claim that he met the constitutional requirement of spread to be declared the winner”, the group stated.

The CSOs noted that the Supreme Court by the judgment has denied the Imo people the opportunity to choose their leaders, adding that, “We sympathise with their Lordships, as mortals who are not infallible.

“To err is human. It would be practically impossible for any human to have read briefs and record of proceedings exceeding 5000 pages in the matter within 2 hours after hearing, when it also had pressure of time to deliver judgment in the remaining pending governorship appeals. No doubt, this accounted for the mistakes made by the Supreme Court”, the group stated.

Abubakar said: “The Supreme Court is supreme and can creatively reinvent its rules to do justice. It is necessary do so now more than ever to save Nigerian democracy, constitutionalism and retrieve the judicial and justice system from its present opprobrium”.

The group said the apex court is left with no other option than to review and reverse the anomaly in the judgment, even if it means applying a judicial doctrine of necessity.

The Daily Times recalls that the Supreme Court, on January 14, 2020, sacked Governor Emeka Ihedioha of Imo State.

The apex court, in a unanimous judgement by a seven-man panel of justices that was led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Tanko Muhammad, held that Ihedioha who contested on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was not duly elected.

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Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, who delivered the lead judgement, declared Senator Hope Uzodinma of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the valid winner of the governorship contest that held in Imo State on March 9, 2019.

The Supreme Court, therefore, ordered the immediate withdrawal of the Certificate of Return that was issued to Ihedioha.

It ordered that a fresh Certificate of Return should be issued to Uzodinma forthwith, adding that he should be sworn-in immediately as the governor of Imo State.