Supreme Court adjourns, hears Imo guber ruling review today

• Entertains Zamfara APC suit March 17
• Police caution Uzodinma, Ihedioha supporters against troublemaking

The Supreme Court yesterday adjourned till today the hearing in the application filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate in the March 9, 2019 governorship election in Imo State, Emeka Ihedioha.

The request is seeking the review of the apex court’s January 14,2020 judgment that removed Ihedioha from office as the state governor.

Ihedioha wants the ruling reversed for his reinstatement as the chief executive of the South East state.

However, at the resumed hearing yesterday, lawyer to the sacked governor and the PDP, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), asked court for an adjournment to enable him respond to the process served on him by Governor Hope Uzodinma and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the courtroom.

He said: “My lords, this matter was adjourned for hearing, but we were just served in the courtroom with a process from the first and second respondents/appellants.

“If it is convenient to your lordships, permit us to come back tomorrow (today) so that we can look at this process.”

Counsel to Uzodinma and the APC, Damian Dodo (SAN), did not oppose the application.

Consequently, the seven-member panel, led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Tanko Muhammad, adjourned hearing till today.

Besides, the state police command has implored supporters of the two political gladiators to remain peaceful before, during and after the judgment.

In a statement, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Orlando Godson Ikeokwu, said the force would collaborate with sister security agencies to ensure compliance.

Also yesterday, the apex court postponed hearing in the Zamfara State APC suit till March 17 to enable the applicant effect service on all parties.

Respondents in the case include Senator Kabiru Marafa and 180 candidates in the 2019 general elections.

The APC is asking the court to review the consequential order which gave rise to the inauguration of candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) into office at all levels.

The court, had in its judgment last year, voided the participation of the APC in last year’s polls in the state due to the party’s inability to conduct primaries as required by law.

The court, having declared all votes cast for the APC in various elective positions in the state as waste, consequently ordered that candidates of the party with the highest number of votes and spread be sworn in as governor, senators, House of Representatives members as well as members of the state House of Assembly.

However, when the matter was called yesterday, it was discovered that some respondents in the suit were yet to be served with court’s processes.

Although counsel to APC, Chief Robert Clarke (SAN), informed the court that an affidavit of service on all respondents had been filed, the CJN however insisted that there was no evidence to that effect since the affidavit was not in the court’s record.

Chief Clarke accordingly asked for a short adjournment to enable him do the needful, and since the request was not opposed by counsel to the respondents, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), the court therefore adjourned till March 17 for hearing.