Supreme Court hammers Ozekhome over suit to sack Governor Uzodimma

Fines him N40m, as governor celebrates final triumph over Iheadioha

A suit filed by Emeka Ihedioha of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Imo State against Governor Hope Uzodimma was, on Tuesday, dismissed by the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

The verdict has validated Uzodinma’s first term poll victory and finally dashed the hope of Emeka Ihedioha to reclaim his victory that was invalidated by the apex court.

Ihedioha had approached the apex court seeking to be issued a certificate of return as the rightful Governor of Imo State.

Ihedioha claimed that the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma wasn’t qualified to run in the first place.

Ihedioha and Uzodimma contested against each other in the governorship election held in 2019.

Uzodimma contested on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), while Ihedioha was the candidate of the PDP.

Though the PDP candidate was declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Supreme Court, however, declared Uzodimma as the authentic winner of the election.

Justice Tijjani Abubakar on Tuesday, dismissed Ihedioha’s application for lacking in merit, describing it as unnecessary and vexatious, and awarded the cost of N40 million against Mike Ozekhome for bringing the matter before the court.