Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma is said to have intensified moves to stop the Supreme Court from hearing an appeal on the 2019 Imo governorship election, which the apex court has already fixed for October 31, 2023, eleven days to the November 11 governorship poll.
Uzodinma is seeking re-election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The governor’s apprehension is that in considering and ruling on the appeal, which borders on the qualification of the APC to participate in the 2019 governorship poll, the apex court could reach a decision that might upend his governorship, as it were, and do the same to his re-election bid.
The notice, which has got Uzodinma running helter-skelter, is between Ugwumba Uche Nwosu (appellant) and Action Peoples Party & 3 Others. Signed by the Registrar of the Supreme Court, Usman B. Bature and dated October 16, 2023, it reads: “take notice that the above appeal/motion will be listed for hearing before the Supreme Court of Nigeria sitting at Abuja on Tuesday, 31st of October 2023.”
It continued: “And further take notice that in accordance with Order 2, Rule 1(2) of the Supreme Court Rules 1985 as amended, this NOTICE is deemed sufficiently served on you if it is left at your address of service or sent by registered post and since the date of service by post is material, Section25 of the Interpretation Act, 1954 shall apply.”
There are credible feelers that Governor Uzodinma has been running helter-skelter, trying to pull the necessary strings to stall the hearing of the appeal/motion by the Supreme Court.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had also filed its appeal/motion on July 9, 2020, seeking the apex court to enforce its judgment that disqualified APC from the 2019 Imo governorship election.
Sundry media report on Friday morning said that the Supreme Court was set to hear the motion by the Action Peoples Party [APP], and the PDP, seeking enforcement of its judgment that disqualified the All Progressives Congress [APC] from the 2019 Imo guber poll
Both the PDP and the APP had applied to the Supreme Court to give effect to its judgment, which was delivered on December 20, 2019.
The parties are worried by Governor Uzodinma’s moves to stall the hearing of the appeals/motions by the Supreme Court on October 31, 2023.
Meantime, here is the meat of the matter: The judgment had disqualified Uche Nwosu from the Imo governorship election on the grounds of double nomination
The apex court had, in the judgment, delivered on December 20, 2019, found that Nwosu was nominated by both Action Alliance (AA) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) and consequently nullified his nomination.
