The Imo State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abuja has affirmed Hope Uzodimma as the governor of Imo State.
The unanimous judgment, delivered on Friday by a three-man panel led by Justice Oluyemi Akintan-Osadebay, declared that Uzodimma’s election complied with the provisions of the Electoral Act.
The tribunal dismissed the petition filed by the Labour Party and its governorship candidate, Athan Achonu, who had contested the results of the 2022 governorship election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Uzodimma of the All Progressives Congress (APC) the winner of the election, with a total of 540,308 votes.
Senator Samuel Anyanwu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) received 71,503 votes, while Achonu secured 64,081 votes, placing third.
Dissatisfied with the outcome, Achonu approached the tribunal, alleging electoral malpractices in certain areas of the state and seeking to overturn Uzodimma’s victory.
In its judgment, the tribunal held that the evidence presented by Achonu and the Labour Party was insufficient to substantiate the claims of electoral fraud.
Justice Akintan-Osadebay stated, “The petitioners failed to provide compelling evidence of substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act.
Consequently, the tribunal finds that the election of Governor Hope Uzodimma stands in accordance with the law.”
The tribunal’s decision is seen as a significant endorsement of Uzodimma’s mandate, which had faced challenges since the declaration of the election results.
Reacting to the judgment, Governor Uzodimma expressed gratitude to the judiciary for upholding the will of the people.
“This judgment is a victory for democracy and the rule of law.
I am thankful to the tribunal for their diligent work and for affirming the mandate given to me by the people of Imo State,” he said.
On the other hand, Labour Party candidate Achonu expressed disappointment but vowed to respect the tribunal’s ruling.
“While we are not satisfied with the outcome, we respect the tribunal’s decision and will continue to advocate for a transparent electoral process,” Achonu stated.
