The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned Tuesday’s Supreme Court judgment which declared Hope Uzodinma of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the March 9, 2019 governorship election in Imo state.
In the judgment on Tuesday, a seven member panel of justices unanimously held that Ihedioha did not win the majority of votes cast in the election.Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, who read the judgment, ordered the electoral body, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to withdraw the certificate of return issued to Ihedioha and give a fresh one to Uzodinma.She held that “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.”
In reaction to the judgment, the PDP in a statement queried the emergence of Uzodinma as the governor of Imo State on the grounds that
he came fourth in the election won by its candidate.
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The statement read: “The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is surprised at the judgment of the Supreme Court on the Imo state governorship
election describing it as yet another very sad commentary on our nation’s democratic order.
“The Party finds it difficult to understand how Senator Hope Uzodinma/APC, who came 4th in the March 9, 2019 governorship election,
with just 96,458 votes, will suddenly, by the token of the judgment of the Supreme Court, defeat Gov. Emeka Ihedioha/PDP that scored 276,404 votes.“In fact, the PDP and indeed, most Nigerians are still at a loss as to understand the basis upon which the Supreme Court arrived at its decision.“The party says it is lamentable that the destiny of the
people of Imo state is being taken from the governor they chose and voted for and handed over to individuals and a political party that do not have their blessing and mandate and which they rejected at the election.“The people of Imo state are now confronted with the
challenge of having a government that they cannot identify with and which cannot connect with them, having not emanated from them.“Moreover, all the gains, including the development and stability already achieved by the people-based government, under Governor Emeka Ihedioha/PDP administration in the state are now heavily jeopardized.
“Indeed, the mournful and despondent ambience that now pervades in Imo state is a loud testimony that the judgment did not reflect the
expectation of the people of Imo state as expressed at the polls. “While recognising that the judgment of the Supreme Court is final,
the PDP, however, urges all party stakeholders in the state to remain united and calm, and await further instruction from the national
leadership on this very sad development.”
