The Supreme Court has rejected an application by Emeka Ihedioha of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Imo State, seeking the issuance of a certificate of return as the rightful governor of Imo State, stating that Governor Hope Uzodinma was not qualified to run in the first place.
Justice Tijjani Abubakar, delivering the ruling on Tuesday, deemed the application lacking merit, describing it as unnecessary and irritating. Subsequently, the court awarded a cost of N40 million against Mike Ozekhome for bringing the matter before the court. The recipients of this cost include the Action People’s Party (APP), Uche Nnadi, Uche Nwosu, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Ozekhome's motion, considered frivolous by the court, sought a consequential order compelling INEC to issue a fresh Certificate of Return to Ihedioha, enabling him to serve a four-year tenure as Imo Governor. Ozekhome argued that Senator Hope Uzodimma unlawfully occupied the four years Ihedioha was supposed to serve.
In the motion, Ozekhome asserted that the All-Progressives Congress (APC) had no candidate in the 2019 Imo Governorship election, contending that Uzodimma should not have been governor on the APC platform. However, the Supreme Court dismissed the motion, citing a lack of jurisdiction to entertain such a request.
In the ruling, Justice Abubakar characterized the motion as strange, frivolous, baseless, unwarranted, and vexatious. He emphasized that the motion appeared to be a calculated attempt to mock the Supreme Court.
