Amby Uneze in Owerri
Indigenes of Imo State yesterday staged another protest in Owerri, the state capital, disrupting vehicular movements for several hours and condemning the January 14, 2020 verdict of the Supreme Court, which sacked Hon. Emeka Ihedioha and declared Senator Hope Uzodinma as the state governor.
Security agents were stationed at strategic junctions in the metropolis apparently to ensure that the peaceful protest was not hijacked by hoodlums.
As early as 10a.m, hundreds of indigenes and supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) assembled at the Ugwu Ekwema along the busy Mbaise/Egbu road in the state metropolis from where the protesters, which included men, women and youths commenced the protest.
The protesters who sang solidarity songs as they marched along the road, also displayed placards with various inscription such as: “We totally reject the Supreme Court Imposition on Imo,” “Imo People will never accept an unelected governor,” “Supreme Court must reverse this dubious judgment,“ Imo people never elected Hope Uzodinma governor,” and “Ihedioha is our elected Governor”.
Addressing the protesters at the popular Fire Service Roundabout, the former Secretary to the State Government, Hon. Uche Onyeaguocha lamented that the Supreme Court declared a man who did not win an election as the governor of the state.
He noted that Uzodinma who finished a distant fourth in the 2019 governorship election was wrongfully declared the governor of the state, adding that the state will never accept such an imposition by the apex court.
He maintained that the Supreme Court who delivered such a dubious judgment must redeem its image by reversing the judgment by restoring Ihedioha who was the duly elected governor of the state.
He said the people will continue the protest until the Supreme Court does the right thing.
“The Supreme Court declared a man who did not win an election as a governor and the Supreme Court knows that they have messed up. They know that they have brought shame to the Nigeria Judiciary. The Judgment is unacceptable to the Nigerians and to Imo People in particular.
Also, the acting Chairman of the Imo State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Martins Ejiogu said that the Supreme Court should restore Ihedioha who was duly elected by the people of the state, saying it is a great disservice to deny the people their choice.
“We are insisting that the Supreme Court should restore the duly elected governor of the state, Emeka Ihedioha. The Supreme Court has to restore their honour and confidence of Nigerians in the judiciary by reversing the dubious judgment against the people of Imo state because what they did was great disservice to the people of the state,” he said.
Also speaking, a former Director General, Imo State Orientation Agency, Mr. Martins Opara, said that Imo People will not accept the imposition by the Supreme Court.
“Imo people have resolved not to accept any imposition by the Supreme Court because even the man they want to impose on the state knows that he did not even win any election in 2019.”
