IMO GUBER ELECTION DISPUTE LATEST: It’s ‘Judgment Day’ – CJN
It has been a long journey to sanity in Imo. It is a matter of moment for the losers to wail and for the winner to dance through every path, nooks and crannies of the state in wild jubilation.
The Supreme Court said it will today, deliver judgement on appeals challenging the election of governor Emeka Ihedioha of Imo State.
Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Tanko Muhammad, who is heading a seven-man panel of justices of the apex court hearing four separate appeals that arising from the March 9 governorship election in Imo state, made the announcement after parties adopted their briefs of argument in the case that was brought against Ihedioha by candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, Chief Ifeanyi Ararume.
In his appeal marked SC/1461/19, Ararume prayed the apex court to nullify Ihedioha’s election on the premise that he was not the valid winner of the governorship election.
In the brief of argument, he adopted through his team of lawyers led by Mr Yusuf Alli, SAN, Ararume, contended that Ihedioha of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, did not secure the highest number of valid votes cast and the constitutionally required spread, to be declared the winner.
Cited as respondents in the appeal he filed on December 13, were the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Ihedioha and the PDP.
Meanwhile, all the Respondents, through their lawyers, Aham Ejelam, SAN, Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, and K. C. O. Njemanze, SAN, respectively, urged the apex court to dismiss the appeal as lacking in merit and uphold the concurrent decisions of both the Imo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal and the Court of Appeal.
After all the parties adopted their briefs of argument, the CJN led panel stood down the appeal to deliver judgement on it later today.
The apex court is currently hearing the second appeal marked SC/1462/19, which was filed by the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Senator Hope Uzodinma.
Meanwhile, Okorocha’s son-n-law who was eased out of the contest on the basis of multiple nominations with his legal team have formally withdrawn from the appeal.
Meanwhile, drawing from the the status of Nwosu as supposed candidate of APC, it becomes curious what becomes of Uzodinma in the whole judicial exercise.
Again, can the coming together of the old foxes make any difference in today’s judgement? it is no longer news that there is new found alliance among Rochas Okorocha, Ifeanyi Ararume and Hope Uzodinm with Okorocha leading the pack.
While many have described the new front as borne out of vendetta, the question of people’s lips is; of what impact and of what purpose? Truly, Okorocha may be using the platform to resurrect his dead political profile owing to his woeful adventure in the state.
For Ararume, he stands a man of opportunity who cares less about morality in so far as his interest is protected. Some pundits say that he may be rather seeking platform to help him in his future political voyage.
Uzodinma, a maverick politician who believes that every approach towards achieving your goal is morality may have also relied on the front to appeal to the conscience of the powers that be to plead his case. However, the problem is how would such be achieved when he produced results after elections were over. It is left to be seen how the jurisprudence will justify his results where he scored highest votes.
In a matter of hours, Imo gladiators will, based on what the Judges say is the law, bury the hatchet or get back to the trenches either to confine Imo soul to hell or rescue it.
