The Supreme Court of Nigeria has dismissed a suit filed by Senator Sam Daddy Anyanwu, challenging the emergence of Imo State Governor, Emeka Ihedioha as the governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
It ruled on Tuesday that Ihedioha was duly nominated and actually won the primary election of the PDP to contest for the Imo State governorship election.
The appeal, heard by a panel of five Justices of the Supreme Court, presided over by Hon. Justice G. Okoro, held that the allegations of fraud and over voting pleaded by the appellant were not proved.
The Supreme Court which held that the appeal ought not to have come to the Apex Court at all, further held that the concurrent findings by the lower courts were unassailable and also agreed with the Court of Appeal, Owerri Division and affirmed the judgement of the trial Federal High Court, Owerri.
In the lead judgement by the Justice Okoro-led panel, dismissing the appeal, the Court awarded costs of N200, 000.00 against the appellant (Anyanwu) in favour of Governor Ihedioha and the PDP.
Anyanwu had approached the Court seeking to nullify the victory of Ihedioha on the allegations of over voting and thuggery, which he alleged, swayed the polls against him and that he be declared as the authentic winner of the primary election.
It could be recalled that Ihedioha, on the party’s primary election conducted in Owerri on the 1st of October, polled 1,723 to defeat Senator Anyanwu, who scored 1,282.
While Senator Anyanwu rejected the result of the primary election, five other aspirants, namely Senator Achonu, Prof. Jude Njoku, Chief Chukwuma, Ekomaru, Chief George Ejike, congratulated Ihedioha and also worked for his victory at the March 9, 2019 governorship poll.
Reacting on the development, Governor Ihedioha described the judgement as a victory for democracy and dedicated it to God and the good people of Imo State.
The governor, again, extends the olive branch to Senator Anyanwu to join hands with him in his efforts to rebuild the state and restore her lost glory.
“Imo State is our home and we have no other place to go. I extend, once again, my hands of fellowship to my brother Senator Sam Anyanwu to join us as we make genuine and deliberate efforts towards rebuilding our state, which we met in a state of near-collapse,” Ihedioha said in a statement signd by his chief press secretary, Chibuike Onyeukwu.