Oshiomhole lauds Supreme Court’s verdict dismissing Ihedioha’s application

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, has commended the judgement of the Supreme Court on the Imo State governorship election.

Mr. Oshiomhole said the judgement of the apex court has affirmed that the choice of the people of Imo State has been respected.

He spoke to reporters on Tuesday moments after the Supreme Court dismissed the application of Mr Emeka Ihedioha asking the court to review its judgement which sacked him as the governor of Imo State.

Ihedioha had faulted the declaration of Uzodinma as the Imo State governor and asked the court to return him back into office.

The application was, however, dismissed in a majority judgement of a seven-man panel of judges led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Tanko Muhammad.

Six of the judges on the panel agreed with the apex court’s verdict while Justice Chima Nweze gave a dissenting judgment, stressing that the decision ought to be reviewed.

Justice Nweze held that the court has the power to overrule itself in a situation where such a judgment was not seen to have met the justice of the case.

He said Uzodinma misled the court in arriving at the judgment which removed Ihedioha from office, saying there was no evidence that the governor satisfied the required spread to have been declared the winner of the election.

The judge informed his colleagues on the panel that the judgment upholding Uzodinma’s victory in the election would continue to haunt Nigeria’s electoral jurisprudence.

Also reacting, Governor Uzodinma said the verdict reflected the true feelings of the people of Imo state who voted him into office.

He also commended the judiciary for standing by the truth and promised that his administration would continue to deliver good governance and prosperity to the people of the state.

Governor Uzodinma called on his political opponents to close ranks and join him in developing the state in the interest of the people.

He added that as the only state in the South East with the All Progressives Congress (APC) in power, he would embark on political evangelism to ensure the party wins more states in the region. (Channels TV)