BY RALPH EJIMKONYE
Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday, July 19, dismissed an application by one Mcfyne, C.Chikwendu, seeking to nullify the election of Hope Uzodimma and his Deputy, Prof Placid Njoku, and declare Imo State governorship seat vacant.
In his ruling, Justice Taiwo Taiwo said Gov Uzodimma election has been affirmed by the Supreme Court and his court, was not an election tribunal to sit on appeal over elections conducted by INEC.
The Judge held that there was no connection between the Plantiff and the defendants jointly or severally.
He ordered Mr. Chikwendu to pay to INEC N250,000 as costs “for bringing such a frivolous and meaningless suit to this court for adjudication”
“If I may ask, was he (Chikwendu)a contestant in the Imo Governorship Election in 2019?. He only described himself in paragraphs 1 and 2 of the affidavit in support of the originating summons thus ‘(1) “That I am the plaintiff in this suit and an indigene of Ikeduru LGA of Imo State. (2) That by virtue of my position I am conversant with the facts of this case”
“These averments are not enough to cloth the plaintiff with the toga of locus standi.
“It is a notorious fact that the issue of the Imo State governorship election has been litigated up to the Supreme Court; the Apex Court in the land on the 14th Of January, 2020 and it was held among other things that Senator Hope Uzodimma is the winner of the Governorship Election of Imo State and that the Certificate of Returns be issued to him.
“This court cannot shut its eyes to these facts… This case has no legs to stand on. It is dead on arrival and nothing can be done to resuscitate it. I need to state that cases of his nature ought not to be permitted to see the light of the day if not for the constitutional provision as to fair hearing.
“I am of the considered view that parties should desist from such time- wasting suits to court knowing fully well that they have no chance to succeed. The time of the court is very precious.
“This case is dismissed in it’s entirety. This is the judgement of the court”
