Three political parties have challengied the declaration of Emeka Ihedioha as the governor of Imo state. They have adopted their final written addresses before the governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, sitting in Owerri.
The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Action Alliance (AA), together with their candidates in the March 9 governorship election, Ifeanyi Araraume, Hope Uzodinma and Uche Nwosu, respectively, are asking the tribunal to quash the election of Ihedioha of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), claiming that the election did not meet substantially with the provisions of the 1999 constitution and the Electoral Act (as amended).
While adopting his final written address, Araraume, through his counsel, Awa Kalu (SAN) asked the court to annul Ihedioha’s election and order fresh polls as it was characterised by ballot snatching and other irregularities.
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In his own submission, Uzodinma, through his counsel, urged the tribunal to declare him as winner of the election.
He contended that the results he obtained from 388 polling units were not given to him, making the PDP to have an edge over him.
In his own submission, Nwosu through his counsel, Niyi Akintola, also asked the tribunal to either cancel the election or order a supplementary election between him and Ihedioha. He told the tribunal that Ihedioha did not meet the constitutional requirements of one quarter of the votes cast in at least two-thirds of the 27 local government areas of the state.
After listening to their submissions, the Chairman of the Tribunal, Justice Michael Adewara, told them that a date for judgment would be communicated.
