The Imo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on Saturday, February 8, 2020, declared a one week fasting and prayers for God to restore the mandate of the former governor of the state, Emeka Ihedioha.
According to a statement signed by the party’s state secretary, Nze Ray Emeana, on Saturday, February 8, 2020, the spiritual exercise would commence on Sunday, February 9, 2020.
Members of the party in the state, are instructed to dress in black during the spiritual exercise.
The party stated that “during this period, all ward excos should request for mass in their local churches and assemble at LGA party secretariat daily at noon for prayers and breaking of fast.
“Prayer point is asking God to intervene and restore the victory of Emeka Ihedioha as the duly elected governor of Imo State.
“We enjoin the Imo people to remain peaceful and prayerful as we await judgment on the review filed by the winner of the governorship election, Emeka Ihedioha at the Supreme Court.”
Imo Governorship: Ihedioha Submits Petition For Review Of Supreme Court Judgement
The Supreme Court judgement on Imo governorship that declared Hope Uzodinma of the All Progressives Congress, APC, winner of March 9, 2019, election was obtained fraudulently, former governor, Emeka Ihedioha has said.
Ihedioha’s claims are contained in an application which he filed on Wednesday, February 5, 2020, at the Supreme Court.
The apex court had on January 14, 2020, nullified the victory of Ihedioha, who was earlier declared the winner by the electoral umpire, INEC.
The apex court declared Uzodinma as the winner of the election.
In the unanimous judgment of the seven-member panel, read by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, the apex court agreed that results in 388 polling units were unlawfully excluded during the collation of the final governorship election result in Imo State.
Justice Kekere-Ekun said with the results from the 388 polling units added, Uzodinma polled a majority of the lawful votes and ought to have been declared the winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
The court, however, did not provide the details of the new votes scored by each of the candidates after the addition of the results from the 388 polling units.
Consequently, the court voided and set aside the declaration of lhedioha as the winner of the 2019 governorship election in the South-east state.
The court ordered that the certificate of return wrongly or unlawfully issued to lhedioha be immediately withdrawn by INEC and a fresh one issued to Uzodinma as the elected governor of the state.
“Vote due to the appellant Hope Uzodinma and the APC from 388 Polling Units were wrongly excluded from scores ascribed to the appellant (to them),” the justices ruled.
“It is thereby ordered that the appellant votes from 388 Polling Units unlawfully excluded from the appellant vote declared shall be added and that the first respondent, Emeka Ihedioha, was not duly elected by a majority of lawful votes cast at the said election.
“His return as the elected governor of Imo State is hereby declared null and void and accordingly set aside.
“It is, hereby, declared that the first appellant (Mr Uzodinma) holds the majority of lawful votes cast at the governorship election held in Imo State on March 9, 2019.”
