The Supreme Court is set to sit on hear an application filed by Emeka Ihedioha of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), seeking the review of the judgement on Imo governorship that declared Hope Uzodinma of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the March 9, 2019, election.
Recall that Mr Ihedioha and the PDP had approached the court after the apex court on January 14 nullified his victory and declared Mr Uzodinma as the winner of the election.
Mr Ihedioha was earlier declared the winner of the election by the electoral umpire, INEC.
However, the apex court had voided and set aside the declaration of Mr lhedioha as the winner of the 2019 governorship election in the South-east state.
The court ordered that the certificate of return issued to Mr lhedioha be immediately withdrawn by INEC and a fresh one issued to Mr Uzodinma as the elected governor of the state.
Dissatisfied with the apex court’s decision, Mr Ihedioha and the PDP in their application filed through their lawyer, Kanu Agabi, said Mr Uzodinma obtained the judgement by deceit.
Mr Ihedioha added that the apex court was misled to have given that judgment.
The former governor described the apex court’s judgment as a nullity, and asked that the decision be set aside.
But, in a 19-paragraph affidavit filed in opposition to Mr Ihedioha’s request, Mr Uzodinma and the APC said the 60 days allowed for the apex court by the constitution has since elapsed.
In the counter-affidavit deposed to by Mathew Mola, the two respondents said the Supreme Court “is not in the habit of sitting on appeal over its own judgment as being demanded by Mr Ihedioha.”
The deponent averred that by the rule of the apex court, the court is prohibited from reviewing its own judgment once delivered except to correct clerical mistakes or accidental slips.
