The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Tuesday confirmed the victory of Hope Uzodimma in the Imo State governorship election, rejecting the appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party and its candidate, Samuel Anyanwu.
The court’s decision affirmed the earlier ruling of the State tribunal, which had declared Uzodinma the winner.
The Appeal Court upheld the earlier decision of the Tribunal, affirming Hope Uzodimma as the duly elected governor of the state.
In its latest judgment, the Court of Appeal held that the PDP failed to present a convincing argument to invalidate Uzodimma’s victory. The court further stated that the appeal was without merit, as all issues had been resolved against the appellants.
In addition to dismissing the PDP’s appeal, the Court of Appeal also rejected the appeals filed by the Labour Party and its candidate, Achonu Nneji, as well as the Allied Peoples Movement.
The appeals were dismissed for lacking merit. The appellants had argued that the November 11, 2023, election was invalid due to alleged non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act, but the court found no grounds to support their claims.
The appellants additionally raised concerns regarding Uzodimma’s qualification, alleging that his West African Examination Council Certificate of Education result was falsified.
However, the Court of Appeal found that the appellants failed to provide sufficient evidence to support their claim of non-compliance. Furthermore, the three-member panel, led by Justice Bitrus Sanga, held that the appellants did not provide convincing proof that the governor submitted a forged certificate.
