The Governor Hope Uzodinma-led government of Imo State, has said that the former Governor of the State, Emeka Ihedioha, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, intended to return to Office, to avoid being probed for his administration’s alleged misdeeds, .
A Whistle-Blower, Obodozie Ihezue, had alleged in a May 8, petition to the State House of Assembly, that the over N78.4 billion spent in 7 months, by the Ihedioha administration, could not be accounted for.
The State Auditor-General for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, had issued an interim audit report detailing how N19.63 billion fraudulently disappeared from the Local Government accounts, between May and December 31, 2019, under Ihedioha.
dailyexcessive news gathered that none of the allegations against Ihedioha has yet been proven, nor is he on trial for corruption in a competent court of law. He has also consistently denied any wrongdoings.
The State disclosed that it is awaiting the outcome of the various Panels investigating the short-lived administration.
The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba, claimed that Ihedioha’s bid to return to power, is not in the people’s interest, but borne from the need for self-preservation.
He implied that Ihedioha is behind a suit seeking further judicial interpretation of a matter already decided by the Supreme Court, in favour of Governor Hope Uzodimma, of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Emelumba claimed that since the Supreme Court removed Ihedioha from Office, early this year, the former Governor has been making moves to return to power, rather than accept his fate.
“Apart from abusing court processes, by filing multiple suits on matters already resolved by the Supreme Court, Ihedioha had been sponsoring protests against the government of Hope Uzodinma, in the vain hope of portraying it as unpopular”, the Commissioner said.
He noted that that unlike Celestine Omehia of Rivers State, Prof. Osunbor of Edo State, and Chris Ngige of Anambra State, all of whom were removed by the Supreme Court, and accepted their fate, Ihedioha has refused to move on.
Emelumba stated that unlike Ihedioha, who made excuses for not completing certain projects, Governor Uzodinma has been executing road and other projects, despite the rainy season.
He urged Ihedioha and his supporters to accept their fate over a matter that has been settled.
To him, Ihedioha as a young man with a political future, ought to have moved on after the Supreme Court judgement.
He said that the former Governor may be “squandering whatever goodwill he has left, on unnecessary and repetitive litigation”.
“If truly he is working for the interest of lmo people, why this level of desperation, and why is he afraid of a probe?
“These are the questions men of goodwill should ask Ihedioha”, Emelumba noted.
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, had adjourned till Monday, a suit by the Reform and Advancement Party, RAP, and its 2019 Governorship Candidate, Okere Kingdom, asking the court to restrain Hope Uzodimma from acting as the Governor of Imo State.
Kingdom, a Lawyer, claimed that Uzodimma was occupying the seat illegally, having not participated in the 2019 election as a Candidate of any political party.
The Plaintiffs are seeking for a judicial interpretation on whether the All Progressives Congress, indeed sponsored Hope Uzodimma for the poll.
Kingdom said the suit was predicated on the judgement of the Supreme Court which affirmed Uche Nwosu as the duly nominated 2019 Imo State Governorship Candidate of the APC.
He wants the court to determine whether Uzodinma lawfully participated, and was sponsored by the APC to contest the 2019 Imo State Governorship election, under Section 177 (c) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
“This is having regard to the tenure, clear, and unambiguous legal implications/consequences of the judgement of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, in appeal no: SC/1384/2019, which upheld the decision of both the Court of Appeal and the Federal High Court, and affirmed Nwosu as the authentic and duly elected/nominated 2019 Imo State Governorship Candidate of the APC”, Kingdom said.