Supreme Court Sacking Of PDP’s Ihedioha: See President Buhari’s reaction

President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed excitement in the Supreme Court judgment which nullified Emeka Ihedioha’s election and declared Hope Uzodinma, of All Progressives Congress (APC) governor of Imo state, southeast Nigeria.

Onyxnewsng had reported earlier the Supreme court sacked PDP Emeka Ihedioha as governor of Imo state and declared Uzodinma as the winner of governorship election which took place on March 9 2019.

A seven-man panel of justices in a unanimous decision on Tuesday, held that Ihedioha did not win the majority of votes cast in the election.

Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, who read the judgment, ordered INEC to withdraw the certificate of return given to Ihedioha and issue a fresh one to Hope Uzodinma.

“The votes due to the appellant, Hope Uzodinma and the All Progressives Congress (APC) from 388 polling units were wrongly excluded from scores ascribed to them,” Justice Kekere-Ekun ruled.

“It is hereby ordered that Emeka Ihedioha, was not duly elected by majority of lawful votes cast at the said election. His return as the elected governor of Imo state is hereby declared null and void and accordingly set aside.

“It is hereby declared that the first appellant (Uzodinma) holds the majority of lawful votes cast at the governorship election held in Imo State on March 9, 2019, and has satisfied the mandatory constitutional requirement.

“It is hereby declared that first appellant, senator Hope Uzodinma is the winner of the governorship of Imo State held on March 9, 2019.

The Judge added that: “The certificate issued to the first respondent (Ihedioha) is hereby withdrawn. It is hereby ordered that the certificate of return shall be issued to the first appellant, senator Hope Uzodinma, forthwith and he should be sworn in as the governor of Imo State.”

Reacting to the development, President Buhari said: “The road to justice may be long and tortuous, but it is the best path for anyone aggrieved.

“Under the new administration, a new journey to build a new Imo with new energy is about to begin. In this outcome, it is the people of Imo State who have emerged victorious,” the President added.

The President urged Uzodinma to promote the ideals of the APC and unite the state by running an inclusive administration.