Home / News / Local / Tribunal affirms Uzodimma as duly elected Imo governor; He dedicates victory to God
Senator Hope Uzodimma, Imo State Governor

Tribunal affirms Uzodimma as duly elected Imo governor; He dedicates victory to God

By Taiye Agbaje, Abuja/Peter Okolie, Owerri,

May 24, 2024

The Imo State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abuja, on Friday, declared Senator Hope Uzodimma as the validly elected governor in the Nov. 11, 2023 Imo governorship poll.

The three-member tribunal, chaired by Justice Oluyemi Akintan-Osadebay, affirmed the election in a unanimous judgment.

The tribunal dismissed the petition of the Labour Party (LP) and its governorship candidate, Mr. Athan Achonu stating that Uzodimma’s election as Imo State governor complied substantially with the provisions of the Electoral Act.

The tribunal further held that the LP, in its petition, failed to prove the allegation of over-voting and non-compliance with the Electoral Act.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Uzodimma of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as winner of the governorship poll held in the state.

Uzodimma scored 540, 308 votes to defeat his closest challenger, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who scored 71, 503 votes while Achonu, came third with 64, 081 votes.

None of the other 15 candidates had up to 10,000 votes.

Dissatisfied with the result, Achonu had approached the tribunal, praying the panel to nullify the election.

He alleged electoral malpractices in some parts of the state.

Reacting to the ruling of the Tribunal, Gov. Uzodimma dedicated his victory to God.

Speaking at the Government House, Owerri on Friday, he said that the judgment was a reflection of the peoples’ choice during the governorship election held in the state.

Uzodimma said: “It’s very exciting and interesting. We thank God.

“You are all living witnesses to the fact that Imo state is gradually changing and the people bought into it and demonstrated that by the way they voted during the election.

“There is no such victory that is not from God, and as long as the victory is from God, the same God will sustain it,” the governor said.

He expressed confidence that similar victory would be achieved at the Appeal Court should the litigant decide to appeal the judgment.

Contacted, the state’s Publicity Secretary of LP, Mr. Bright Ofurum, said the party would make official statement after studying the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment.

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