The seven-man panel led by Chief Justice Tanko Muhammad unanimously declared Senator Hope Uzodinma of the All Progressive Congress (APC) as the winner of the March 9 governorship election. The appellant, Senator Uzodinma contended that he scored the highest number of votes in the election, but the Independent National Electorate Commission (INEC) returned Emeka Ihedioha as the Governor of the State.
Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun who delivered the judgment on Tuesday declared that the votes due to Senator Uzodinma were unlawfully excluded from the 318 polling units and should be added to his votes.
The apex court considered the submissions of a Principal witness who was on a subpoena to present results and held that the lower court was wrong in its ruling. Justice Kekere-Ekun, while reading the lead judgment, declared Senator Uzodinma as the validly elected Governor and the certificate of return issued to Ihedioha to be withdrawn immediately.
Meanwhile, candidate of the Action Alliance (AA), Uche Nwosu, withdraw a second appeal filed against the election of Emeka Ihedioha. According to his counsel, Mr.Solomon Umoh (SAN), the withdraw on Tuesday is based on the judgment of apex court delivered on the 20th of December 2019.
