Supreme Court Removes Ihedioha, Declares Uzodinma Imo Governor

The Supreme Court has nullified the election of Governor Emeka Ihedioha of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and declared Senator Hope Uzodinma of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the validly elected Governor of Imo State.

A seven-man panel of the apex court, led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Tanko Muhammad, unanimously delivered the judgment on Monday.

Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, who read the lead judgment, said that the votes due to Senator Uzodinma was unlawfully excluded from the 318 polling units and be added to his total votes.

Justice Kekere-Ekun noted that the submissions of a Principal witness who was on a subpoena to present results held that the lower court was wrong in its ruling.

The judge ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately withdraw the certificate of return issued to Ihedioha and directed that a fresh certificate of return be issued to Uzodinma.

She also directed that Uzodinma must be immediately sworn in as governor of the southeast State.