Supreme Court dismisses PDP application seeking Gov Uzodimma’s removal

Bayo Wahab 13:25 - 05 December 2023

Imo State governor, Governor Hope Uzodimma. [Twitter:@Hope_Uzodimma1]

The court said the 60 days stipulated to hear the election matter had since elapsed.

The Supreme Court has dismissed an application by the former governor of Imo State, Emeka Ihedioha, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) seeking to remove Hope Uzodimma from office as the governor of the state.

Ihedioha was praying the court to order the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue a certificate of return to him as the validly elected governor of the state in the 2019 election.

Delivering the judgement on Tuesday, December 5, 2023, Justice Tijjani Abubakar, ruled that Ihedioha and PDP's application lacked merit, and was frivolous and vexatious.

The judge said the court lacked jurisdiction to determine the matter, adding that the 60 days stipulated to hear the election matter had since elapsed, ThePunch reports.

Justice Abubakar also fined Counsel for the PDP, Mike Ozekhome, ₦40 million for bringing the matter to court.

Ihedioha served as governor of Imo State from 2019 to 2020.

He was removed from office in January 2020, by the Supreme Court which declared Uzodimma as the authentic winner of the 2019 governorship election.

Meanwhile, Uzodimma has completed the tenure of the 2019 election and has been re-elected for a second term.

The governor was recently declared the winner of the November 11 off-season election and was issued a certificate of return by the Independent National Electoral Commission.