Members of the Imo State House o Assembly have said that former Governor of Imo State, Emeka Ihedioha, was wrongly declared as the governor of the state as he did not meet the constitutional requirements to be so declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
The lawmakers therefore asked the commission to sanction the Resident Electoral Commissioner and the Returning Officer for deceiving the commission into announcing a wrong result.
The lawmakers at a plenary on Thursday threw their weight behind the Supreme Court Judgement which ousted Emeka Ihedioha and enthroned Senator Hope Uzodinma as Governor of the State.
A statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary/Media Adviser to Governor Hope Uzodinma, Oguwike Nwachukwu, said that in a motion raised by Hon. Kennedy Ibe, member representing Obowo State Constituency House passed a vote of confidence in the Supreme Court ruling, noting that with the Supreme Court ruling, of January 14, 2020, all issues surrounding the Imo governorship election of March 9, 2019, has been settled with Uzodinma as the legitimate governor of the state.
According to the statement, the motion, which was supported by over 20 members pointed that Imo people are happy with the Supreme Court judgement that sacked Ihedioha and called for a stop of the incessant protests by elements who do not want the progress of the state.
It further said that Ibe moved that the Resident Electoral Commissioner and the Returning Officer who returned Ihedioha as Governor be sanctioned for announcing him winner when they knew that Ihedioha did not meet the constitutional requirements.
When the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Chiji Collins, put the motion to vote, it received overwhelming support and was passed.
Another highlight of Thursday plenary was the defection of three more Honourable members to the All Progressive Congress (APC), namely: Mrs. Uju Onwudiwe (Njaba) who joined from Action Alliance (AA), Paschal Okoli (Orlu) and Samuel Otuibe from (Ahiazu Mbaise) both from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Announcing the defection at the floor of the house, the Speaker, Collins noted that the defecting members after consulting with their constituents saw the need to join the APC to help the Governor, Uzodinma who has shown great desire to develop the state to achieve his good plans for Imo people.
The statement said that with the latest defection, APC now has overwhelming majority in the Imo House of Assembly with a total of 22 members as against PDP’s five
