The Imo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja has affirmed the election of Governor Hope Uzodinma.
The tribunal consequently dismissed the petition of the Labour Party challenging the election of Governor Uzodinma.
In a unanimous judgment delivered by Justice Oluyemi Akintan-Osadebay on Friday, the three-man panel of the tribunal held that Uzodimma’s election as Imo State governor complied substantially with the provisions of the Electoral Act.
The tribunal further held that the Labour Party in its petition failed to prove the allegation of overvoting and non-compliance to the Electoral Act.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Uzodimma of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the November 11 governorship election in Imo State.
Uzodimma scored 540,308 votes to defeat his closest challenger, Senator Samuel Anyanwu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who scored 71,503 votes while Achonu, came third with 64,081 votes.
Dissatisfied with the result, Achonu and Anyanwu had approached the court to sack the governor, alleging electoral malpractices in some parts of the state.
Politics Nigeria gathered that there was heavy security presence in Imo State ahead of today’s judgment to be delivered by the governorship tribunal sitting in Abuja.
The tribunal had concluded hearing on the case filed by the PDP candidate and his LP counterpart challenging the outcome of the November 11, 2023 governorship poll.
Police and other security operatives have also intensified patrols in Owerri, the capital city of the state and its environs.
However, residents of Owerri are calm despite heightened tension as a result of the expected judgment. Meanwhile, both Anyanwu and Achonu have urged their supporters to remain loyal and law abiding before, during and after the judgment.
