The Imo State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abuja has upheld the election of Senator Hope Uzodimma of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the validly elected governor of Imo State.
The tribunal in a unanimous judgement delivered by the Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Oluyemi Akintan-Osadebay dismissed the petitions of the candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Athan Achonu.
The tribunal held that the election that brought Governor Hope Uzodinma substantially complied with the Electoral Act 2022.
Uzodinma was relectected for a second and final term as the governor of Imo State in November 2023.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in announcing his victory on November 12, 2023 through the returning officer, Prof. Abayomi Fasina, the Vice-Chancellor, Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State said that the Imo governor won the election with a total 540,308, votes while his closest rival and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),Senator Samuel Anyanwu polled of 71,503 votes, while Gen Athan Achonu rtd of the LP polled 64, 081 votes.
Both the PDP and LP candidates approached the tribunal seeking to upturn the election on the ground of non-compliance with extant electoral laws.