By Chidi Nkwopara, OWERRI

The Supreme Court Tuesday, dismissed the suit filed by Senator Samuel Anyanwu, challenging the emergence of Imo State Governor, Chief Emeka Ihedioha as the gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Samuel Anyanwu

Delivering the judgment, the five-man panel of Justices, headed by Justice G. Okoro, held that “the allegations of fraud and over voting pleaded by the appellant were not proved.”

The Justices, who held that the appeal ought not to have come to the Apex Court at all, further held that “the concurrent findings by the lower courts were unassailable”.

They agreed with the position of the Owerri Division of the Court of Appeal, which affirmed the judgement of the trial Federal High Court, Owerri.

In dismissing the appeal, the Supreme Court awarded N200,000 as costs, in favour of Governor Ihedioha and the PDP.

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Vanguard recalls that not satisfied with the judgments of the Federal High Court, Owerri, and the Owerri Division of the Court of Appeal, Senator Anyanwu approached the Apex Court, seeking to nullify the victory of Ihedioha during the party primary.

Anyanwu hinged his suit on the allegations of “over-voting and thuggery”, which he alleged, swayed the polls against him, even as he prayed that he be declared as the authentic winner of the primary election.

Vanguard also recalls that Governor Ihedioha, polled a total of 1,723 votes as against Anyanwu’s 1,282, during the PPD gubernatorial primary in Imo State.

When contacted, Governor Ihedioha described the judgement as “a victory for democracy” and dedicated it to God and the good people of Imo State.

He again extended the olive branch to Senator Anyanwu to join hands with him in his efforts to rebuild the state and restore her lost glory.

“Imo State is our home and we have no other place to go. I extend, once again, my hands of fellowship to my brother Senator Sam Anyanwu to join us as we make genuine and deliberate efforts towards rebuilding our state, which we met in a near-comatose state”.

VANGUARD