Imo: Osinbajo not involved in Ihedioha’s sacking

Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, says he did not discuss any
matter relating to the Imo State governorship appeal with Emeka
Ihedioha before the Supreme Court removed him (Ihedioha) as the
governor of the state.

Osinbajo’s media aide, Laolu Akande, said this via his Twitter
handle on Wednesday.

Recall that, on Tuesday, a seven-man panel of the Supreme Court
led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Tanko Muhammad, unanimously
declared Hope Uzodinma of the All Progressives Congress as the
winner of the March 9, 2019, governorship election in Imo
State.

Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, who read the lead judgment, ordered
that the certificate of return issued to Ihedioha be immediately
withdrawn.

She directed that a fresh certificate of return should be issued
to Uzodinma.

Justice Kekere-Ekun dismissed the All Progressives Grand
Alliance’s Ifeanyi Ararume’s appeal for being academic following
the court’s declaration of Uzodinma as the winner of the
election.

In upholding Uzodinma’s appeal on Tuesday, the Supreme Court
agreed with him that the votes polled in 388 out of the 3,523
polling units were excluded in the final results declared by the
Independent National Electoral Commission in the state, on March
11, 2019.

Laolu debunked reports that the VP was involved in any
discussion on the court case, noting that Osinbajo understood the
implication of doing so.

Laolu tweeted, “I have seen reports suggesting that VP Osinbajo
had a discussion with former Gov. Ihedioha about the Imo
governorship case in the Supreme Court when he visited Imo last
week. This is false and mischievous. The VP went to Imo for a
private event and no such discussions took place.

“Besides, it is completely out of character for the VP to
discuss on-going court cases with interested parties, with
insinuations of illegal and unethical conspiracies. Please ignore
such fake reports wherever you may find it. Outright
fabrication!”

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