Guber tussle: Tension in Imo over Mbaka prophesy as Supreme Court rules today
The Imo State governor, Emeka Ihedioha of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and Senator Hope Uzodinma of the All Progressives Congress, APC will know fate today as the Supreme Court rules on the Imo governorship tussle.
As imolites prepare for the Judgement of the Supreme Court today, January 14, on the Governorship election in the State, there is palpable tension in the state Capital of Owerri over the Cross Over Prophecy of fiery Man Rev Father Ejike Mbaka.
Their Mbaka who on the 31st of December 2019 Prophesied that Senator Hope Uzodinma will emerge as the next Governor of Imo State have maintained his prophecy saying it was from God.
The State Governor Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha left the State since on Saturday to Abuja in preparation of the Judgement of the APEX Court today.
The Camp of Senator Hope Uzodinma has been jubilating over the Prophecy made by Father Ejike Mbaka.
Court was to hear appeals in respect of Kano, Imo, Bauchi, Benue, Plateau, Sokoto and Adamawa states.
The day’s proceedings commenced, with the calling of the appeal in respect of the Kano dispute, in respect of which lawyers to parties – Abbah Yusuf and Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN) their briefs and prayed the court to allow the appeal.
Shortly after, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Muhammad, who led the court’s seven-man panel announced that one of the panel members was feeling unwell
The CJN subsequently told a packed court that the panel would rise briefly to return later.
About one hour later, instead of the panel returning, an official of the court announced to a disappointed audience that proceedings has been rescheduled for today.
Justice John Inyang Okoro, it was learnt, took ill.
Other members of the panel are: Justices Sylvester Ngwuta, Olukayode Ariwoola, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, Amiru Sanusi and Uwani Abba-Aji.
Governors whose fate will now be decided today are: Emeka Ihedioha (Imo), Aminu Tambuwal (sokoto), Umaru Ganduje (Kano), Bala Mohammaed (Bauchi), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Simon Lalong (Plateau), and Umaru Fintiri (Adamawa).
The anxiety in the states had to continue for another 24 hours. But, tension enveloped the Supreme Court yesterday before proceedings were abruptly terminated.
A the Justices filed in and took their seats, the CJN halted proceedings because of too much noise and rowdiness in court.
Justice Muhammad said the court would not resume until calm was restored.
The rowdiness was informed by the large audience made up of politicians, their lawyers and supporters, who defied instruction from the court’s security personnel and went about struggling for the limited seats available in court.
Many also struggled for the inadequate standing space and refused to be restrained by the security men on duty.
Calm was later restored in the courtroom after security men evicted some of those who were not lawyers.
When the court resumed sitting around 9:20am, Awomolo apologised to the Justices. Reacting, Justice Muhammad said: “It is alright, but we went out for a different purpose, and when the purpose was achieved, we came back.”
The business of the day then commenced with the calling of the Ganduje versus Abba Yusuf, in respect of the Kano dispute
After the case was called, lawyers to parties – Abbah Yusuf and Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN) — identified and adopted their briefs of argument. After that, the CJN announced the illness of the Justice and ended it all.
Although the appeals were listed for hearing, many had thought the court would deliver judgments. Going by what happened last Wednesday when the court heard and rendered judgments in four governorship election appeals.
In respect of the Imo governorship dispute, there are four appeals, with the first, filed by Ifeanyi Ararume of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA).
The second is by Senator Hope Uzodinma of the APC and Uche Nwosu of the Action Alliance (AA). Governor Ihedioha who won at both the tribunal and the Court of Appeal, also filed a cross-appeal, with which he is challenging the minority judgment of the Appeal Court, that gave victory to Senator Uzodinma of the APC.
In Sokoto State, the governorship candidate of the APC, Ahmed Sokoto, in his appeal, is challenging the declaration of Tambuwal as the valid winner.
Tambuwal, who won the election with a slim margin of 342 votes after a supplementary poll, and was declared winner by both the tribunal and the Appeal Court, also filed an appeal.
For Plateau State, the candidate of the PDP, Senator Jeremiah Useni, filed an appeal, challenging Simon Lalong’s election. Lalong equally filed a cross-appeal.
In Bauchi, the former governor, Mohammed Abubakar apppealed against the election of former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Bala Mohammed
For Benue State, the governorship candidate of the APC, Emmanuel Jime, has an appeal against Ortom.
Ortom, who won at both the tribunal and the Court of Appeal, equally filed a cross-appeal.
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