PDP calls Supreme Court verdict on Imo ‘endorsement of electoral fraud’

 

• APC congratulates Uzodinma, calls for electoral, judicial reforms

 

BY KAZIE UKO

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has described the verdict of the Supreme Court on the review of its judgment on the Imo state governorship election as an endorsement of electoral fraud.

The PDP said the verdict has placed a huge burden on the court and the lord justices.

The Supreme Court had Tuesday dismissed an application filed by ousted Imo State governor and candidate of PDP, Hon Emeka Ihedioha, asking the apex court to review its January 14, 2020 judgment that sacked him from office.

Justice Olukayode Ariwoola who delivered the judgment said there was no constitutional provision empowering the apex court to sit on appeal over its own judgment.

But the PDP, however, singled out Justice Chima Nweze out of the seven-man Supreme Court panel of justices for commendation, noting that, “in the face of the sad verdict, Justice Chima Nweze’s judgment presents a glimpse of hope for our nation’s judiciary.”

Justice Nweze had submitted a minority judgment in favour of PDP’s Ihedioha and the party said it “abides completely by every word of the judgment of Justice Nweze as treated facts, which are truly sacred.”

It added that Justice Nweze’s pronouncement “represents a universal view about the travesty of justice that occurred in the Imo state governorship election judgment,” as it went straight into the substance of the party’s application.

READ: BREAKING NEWS: Supreme Court seals Ihedioha’s hope of returning as Imo Governor

In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP said the Supreme Court, with its latest verdict on Imo governorship election, had legalised electoral fraud.

According to the statement, “It is indeed unfortunate that the Supreme Court had the wholesome opportunity to redeem itself and correct its errors, but choose to hide behind technicality to justify and endorse an electoral fraud.

“What Nigerians expected of the Supreme Court, since the error in its earlier judgment had been fully established, was to summon the courage to affirm its infallibility by correcting the errors and handing over victory to the rightful winner. Sadly, it failed to do so.

 

“For the avoidance of doubt, what the Supreme Court had done in this judgment is to uphold and legalize the writing of election results by individual contestants against the will of the people as expressed at the poll.

“As a party, we hold that on this judgment, all election stakeholders must rally to create remedies for this pathetic situation created by the Supreme Court in the Imo governorship election before our entire electoral process becomes vanquished.

“This judgment will continue to haunt the Supreme Court. It has created a burden of precedence and fallibility on the Court.

“More distressing is the fact that the judgment has heavily detracted from the confidence Nigerians and the international community reposed on the Supreme Court and our entire jurisprudence.”

APC congratulates Uzodinma, calls for electoral, judicial reforms

But for the All Progressives Congress (APC), whose candidate and governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma, had his victory revalidated by the Supreme Court verdict, it was time to celebrate.

APC, however, while congratulating Governor Uzodinma on his triumph in the court of final arbitration, celebrated cautiously.

The party, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, said: “As a law-abiding party, we believe in the sanctity of the rule of law and will always accept the decisions of the Apex Court, whether favourable or not.

“The APC will never choose the route of impugning on the integrity of our Judiciary, undermining other public institutions and threatening our democracy with unpatriotic utterances and actions.

“However, recent developments in the polity has made electoral and judicial reforms a matter of urgency and necessity. These are the tasks before the 9th National Assembly as it embarks on the Constitution Review exercise.

“We are confident the Imo people have chosen the right man for the job. Our congratulations therefore go to the good people of Imo State as they begin a new journey into prosperity under the capable watch of Governor Uzodinma.”