The Imo State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, sitting in Abuja, on Friday upheld the election of Hope Uzodimma of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as Imo Governor for the second term.
In two unanimous judgements, the three-member tribunal dismissed the petition by the Labour Party (LP) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and their candidates in the election held on November 11, 2023.
The LP had as its candidate, Athan Achonu, while the candidate of the PDP was Samuel Anyanwu in the election.
Both parties had, in their petitions, raised allegations of non-compliance with relevant provisions of the Electoral Act and malpractices.
There was also the challenge of Uzodimma’s qualification, based on the claim that his General Certificate of Education (GCE) results were forged.
They prayed the court to void Uzodimma’s election on the grounds that he did not score the majority of lawful votes cast in the election.
In the lead judgment in the petition by the LP, read by Justice Oluyemi Akintan-Osadebay, the tribunal held that Uzodimma’s election as Imo State governor complied substantially with the provisions of the Electoral Act.
The tribunal equally held that the petitioner failed to prove their allegations of over-voting and non-compliance to the Electoral Act as required.
In the judgment in the petition by the PDP and its candidate , the tribunal equally found that the petitioners failed to discharge the burden of proof imposed on them by the law.
The tribunal held that the petitioners failed to prove that Uzodinma submitted forged certificates, and that the election violated the Electoral Act.
The tribunal proceeded to dismiss both petitions for lacking in merit.
