The Nzuko Ndigbo Europe, an umbrella union of Ndigbo living in Europe, has urged the Supreme Court to avail itself of the opportunity of the review application to correct its judgment of January 14 which sacked Emeka Ihedioha as Imo Governor and replaced him with Senator Hope Uzodinma.
The organisation said the judgment delivered by a seven-man panel headed by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mohammad Tanko had robbed Imo people of their choice of governor.
A statement by Dr. Wisdom Anyadoro and Chief Clement Onyechere, President-General and Secretary-General of the group called on the apex court to reverse the judgment which had left a question mark on the integrity and impartiality of the Supreme Court.
“As a result of this misjudgment, Imo people and Nigerians no longer see the Supreme Court as the last hope of the common man. We, therefore, call on the apex court to redeem its image by reviewing its judgement and rectifying the faultiness. We believe that the Supreme Court has a chance at the review judgement scheduled to reverse its verdict and further declare Emeka Ihedioha as duly elected governor of Imo State. We wish to underline that democracy should reflect the wish of the people,” the group said.
However, stakeholders from the state have called on Emeka Ihedioha to discontinue his legal battle against Governor Uzodinma and hearken to the voice of reason or face unmitigated disaster in his political career.
The stakeholders urged Ihedioha to be a good sportsman and accept the Supreme Court verdict in good faith while waiting for 2023.
Former Chairman of Iwuanyawu Nationale Football Club, Price Lemmy Akakem, who spoke on behalf of other elders at a press conference, yesterday, said Ihedioha could be heading to “political perdition because of his obduracy in pursuing a matter that the Supreme Court had given a seal of finality.”
Akakem deplored the conduct of the former governor.
“Unless Ihedioha drops his review case at the Supreme Court, he may turn into a political leper after being defeated again by Governor Uzodinma,”Akakem said.
John Enyogasi, one of the stakeholders cautioned Ihedioha against portraying himself as a sour loser.
“He is still a young man with a lot of prospects. He should not do or say things that would be used against him tomorrow. Just like other important Nigerians have said, now is the time for Ihedioha to throw in the towel”, he said.
Speaking on behalf of the traditional rulers, Eze Godwin Okeke, said they were worried with the bitterness exhibited by Ihedioha, warning that such a conduct will engender bad blood among his people.
Meanwhile, State publicity secretary of PDP, Ray Emeana, has described the elders as a rejected people. He alleged that they were products of the fraud allegedly perpetrated by the All Progressive Congress (APC).
“Imo people have rejected them, they should keep their mouth shut, this is APC propaganda, they stole from the election, now they want to steal from the Supreme Court. Imo people have spoken , any other contrary saying are from those that are part of the fraud,” he said.
