The Imo State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal has upheld the election of Hope Uzodimma as the state’s governor, dismissing the petition filed by the Labour Party and its governorship candidate, Athan Achonu.
Naija News reports that in a unanimous judgment delivered on Friday in Abuja, the three-man panel of the tribunal, led by Justice Oluyemi Akintan-Osadebay, held that Uzodimma’s election complied substantially with the provisions of the Electoral Act.
The tribunal further ruled that the Labour Party failed to provide sufficient evidence to prove its allegations of overvoting and non-compliance with the Electoral Act.
Recall that Uzodimma, who contested on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was declared the winner of the November 11 governorship election in Imo State by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
He polled 540,308 votes, defeating his closest challenger, Senator Samuel Anyanwu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who scored 71,503 votes. Achonu came third with 64,081 votes.
Achonu had approached the tribunal, seeking to nullify Uzodimma’s election, citing electoral malpractices in some parts of the state.
However, the tribunal’s verdict has put to rest any doubts about Uzodimma’s victory, affirming his mandate as the duly elected governor of Imo State.