Supreme Court dismisses Emeka Ihedioha’s Lawsuit against Hope Uzodimma

The Supreme Court has dismissed a lawsuit filed by Emeka Ihedioha of the Peoples Democratic Party in Imo State seeking to be issued a certificate of return as rightful Governor of Imo State, arguing that Governor Hope Uzodinma was not qualified to run in the first place.

In a ruling read by Justice Tijjani Abubakar, the apex court dismissed the 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.

The parties to be paid the money are the Action People’s Party, Uche Nnadi, Uche Nwosu and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

In the motion, Mike Ozekhome had asked the court for a consequential order to compel INEC to issue a fresh Certificate of Return to Ihedioha to enable him spend a four year tenure as Imo State Governor.

He said that Senator Hope Uzodimma unlawfully spent the four years which Ihedioha ought to spend.

In the motion, Ozekhome claimed that the All Progressives Congress had no candidate in the 2019 Imo Governorship election, hence, Uzodimma ought not to have been made governor on the platform of APC.

However, the apex court dismissed the motion on the ground that it has no jurisdiction to entertain such a motion.