Imo: Court strikes out suit seeking to stop Ihedioha’s inauguration

A Federal High Court sitting in Owerri on Tuesday struck out a suit seeking to stop the inauguration ceremony of the Imo State Governor-elect, Emeka Ihedioha on May 29.

In his judgment, the presiding Justice, PA Rimgim, said that the plaintiff, Clifford Eze, who was the governorship candidate of the Democratic Alternative during the governorship election in the state had no legal right to approach a regular court for a post-election matter.

In striking the matter out, the jurist said that he lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the suit.

The judge awarded a N5m cost against the plaintiff.

Reacting, one of the defence counsels, Emeka Ihejirika, said that apart from lack of jurisdiction, court processes were also abused by the plaintiffs.

According to Ihejirik, “It is a primary knowledge that the regular court does not entertain post-election matters. The plaintiffs are already at the tribunal and the same things they brought up for argument at the tribunal are the same things they brought to the regular court.”

“Apart from the Federal High Court lacking the jurisdiction to entertain the suit, it was an abuse of court processes. That was why the court slammed a N5m cost against the plaintiffs. It is as simple as that.”

The Governor-elect who spoke to our correspondent shortly after the judgment was delivered said that it was victory for the people of the state.

Ihedioha who spoke through his media aide, Chibuike Onyeukwu, said that he was ready to work with everybody including the plaintiffs and members of the opposition parties to move the state forward from May 29. Punch