Godwin Tsa, Abuja and George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
The Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal against the emergence of Imo State Governor, Emeka Ihedioha, as the party’s candidate in the last governorship election.
The dismissed appeal was filed by a chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Imo State, Samuel Nnaemeke Anyanwu.
A five-man panel of the court, in a unanimous judgment yesterday, upheld the earlier concurrent judgments of the trial court and the Court of Appeal, Owerri, which ruled in favour of Ihedioha on the grounds that Anyannwu did not prove his case.
Anyanwu had faulted Ihedioha’s victory at the PDP governorship primary, but the trial court held that he could not prove his allegations of manipulation, thuggery, among other vices, which he claimed marred the process.
Justice John Okoro, in the lead judgment, dismissed the appeal for lacking in merit and awarded a N200,000 cost against the appellant.
Senator Anyanwu, who was not satisfied with the judgments of the Federal High Court, Owerri, and the Owerri Division of the Court of Appeal, approached the Apex Court, seeking to nullify the victory of Ihedioha at the party’s primary. Anyanwu hinged his suit on the allegations of “over-voting and thuggery,” which he alleged, swayed the polls against him, even as he prayed that he be declared as the authentic winner of the primary election.
Governor Ihedioha polled 1,723 votes as against Anyanwu’s 1,282, during the PPD governorship primary in Imo State.
Meanwhile, member representing Nwangele state Constituency, Amara Chyna Iwuanyanwu (PDP), has commended the Apex Court for dismissing the appeal by Senator Anyanwu.
He noted that the victory of Ihedioha, at the party’s primary and the governorship election was divine and urged those who were still challenging his victory at the election tribunal to withdraw their cases and support him in rebuilding the state battered under the eight years of the immediate past administration of Rochas Okorocha.
The legislator, who spoke to newsmen yesterday in his office at the Imo State Assembly complex, while reacting to the Supreme Court’s judgement noted that the judiciary has been fair in its judgement.
