Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma and the All Progressive Progressives Congress (APC) have asked the Supreme Court to disregard the request by the sacked candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Emeka Ihedioha for a review of its January 14, 2020 judgment.
The Supreme Court had, in judgement sacked Ihedioha and ordered that Uzodinma takes his place, a decision the former has applied to the apex court for a review, alleging that it was obtained by fraud.
In their joint response on Sunday, Uzodinma and the APC are of the view that the request by Ihedioha and the PDP amounts to a mere academic exercise and an affront to the nation’s Constitution.
Governor Uzodinma and the APC argued, in their a 19-paragraph counter-affidavit, deposed to by Mathew Joseph Mola, that it was late in the day for Ihedioha and his party to request the court to revisit their case at the expiration of the 60 days allowed by the Constitution for the Supreme Court to hear and determine post-election cases.
They contended that it was not part of the functions of the Supreme Court to sit on appeal over its own judgment as being demanded by Ihedioha and his party.
The respondents argued that since January 14 when the Supreme Court gave its decision, the court has since ceased to possess the requisite jurisdiction adjudicate on the case relating to the declaration of Uzodinma as the winner of the March 9, 2019, governorship election in Imo State.
Uzodinma and the APC also averred that the Supreme Court’s rule prevents it from reviewing its own judgment once delivered, except to correct clerical mistakes or accidental slips.
They added that as the highest court in the land, the Supreme Court jealously guides its process against abuse by litigants and does not indulge in academic exercise or provides answers to hypothetical questions
Senator Uzodinma and the APC asserted that contrary to the claim by Ihedioha in his application, the scores of all the candidates in the election, as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), were clearly well spelt out.
