The Supreme Court has dismissed two separate appeals by the Labour Party (LP) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) against the declaration of Hope Uzodinma as the elected governor of Imo State.
The appeals from LP governorship candidate Athan Achonu and PDP’s Samuel Anyawu were rejected for lack of merit, and Uzodinma was upheld as the lawfully elected governor.
In the lead judgment delivered by Mohammed Baba Idris, the LP and PDP candidates failed to establish allegations of over-voting and other malpractices related to the November 11, 2023 poll.
The apex court’s unanimous decision upheld the earlier rulings of the Court of Appeal and the Imo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which had dismissed the petitions in separate judgments.
The judge, who authored and read the lead judgment, resolved the three issues identified for determination against the appellants.
He found that the appellants as petitioners at the election tribunal, failed to prove their case as required.
He proceeded to affirm the judgment of the Court of Appeal, which upheld the decision of the Imo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which dismissed the appellants’ petition.
The Court of Appeal, Abuja had, on July 16, dismissed the appeal filed by the PDP and Anyanwu, challenging the decision of the Imo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which affirmed the election of Hope Uzodinma as the authentic governor of the state.
The three-member panel led by Justice Bitrus Sanga held that the appeal lacked merit having resolved all issues formulated against the appellants in the suit.
In the same vein, the appellate court also dismissed the appeal by the Labour Party and its candidate, Achonu Nneji, and that of the Allied Peoples Movement for also lacking in merit.
The appellants, who were dissatisfied with the election tribunal judgment, had approached the Court of Appeal on grounds that the Nov. 11, 2023 election, was invalid because of non-compliance with the provision of the Electoral Act.
The appellants also challenged Uzodimma’s qualification with an allegation that his West African Examination Certificate (WAEC) result was forged.
While delivering that judgment, the court of appeal held that the appellants in their appeal, failed to prove the allegation of non-compliance as alleged.
The panel also held that the appellants failed to prove that the governor submitted a forged certificate.
