On Friday, the Imo State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal confirmed Hope Uzodimma as the duly elected governor of Imo State. The tribunal, which convened in Abuja, also dismissed the petition filed by the Labour Party (LP) and its candidate, Athan Achonu.
In a unanimous ruling, Justice Oluyemi Akintan-Osadebay, speaking on behalf of the three-member panel, declared that Uzodimma’s election adhered substantially to the provisions of the Electoral Act. The tribunal emphasized that the Labour Party failed to substantiate its claims of overvoting and non-compliance with electoral regulations.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had previously announced Uzodimma of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the victor of the November 11 governorship election in Imo State. Uzodimma secured 540,308 votes, surpassing his closest competitor, Senator Samuel Anyanwu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who garnered 71,503 votes. Achonu finished third with 64,081 votes, while the remaining 15 candidates each received fewer than 10,000 votes.
Achonu had taken legal steps to challenge the results, alleging that there were significant electoral malpractices in certain regions of the state. However, the tribunal’s decision has now reaffirmed the legitimacy of Uzodimma’s victory.
