Imo: 47 parties challenge Ihedioha’s election

At least 47 of the over 70 political parties that contested the 2019 governorship election in Imo State have signified their intention to drag the winner, Emeka Ihedioha, to the election petitions tribunal.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Ihedioha of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as winner of the March 9 gubernatorial election in the state.

But the parties said they were not satisfied with the general conduct of the election as it was marred by massive irregularities and did not comply substantially with the provision of the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act (as amended).

Among the parties were the Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN), Mass Movement of Nigeria (MMN), Advanced Congress of Democrats (ACD), Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), Save Nigeria Congress (SNC), Nigerian Peoples Congress (NPC) and Democratic Alternative.

Others are KOWA Party, National Democratic Party (NDP), Legacy Party of Nigeria (LPN) and Independent Democrats (ID).

Addressing newsmen in Owerri, yesterday, the National Deputy Chairman of PPN, Chief Chinedu Ukadike, said apart from the fact that the conduct of the election fell below acceptable standard, the winner was wrongly declared by the electoral body as he did not meet the constitutional requirements of 25 per cent spread in at least two-thirds of the 27 local government areas of Imo State as stipulated in the constitution.

Ukadike, who doubled as the spokesman of the group, said the suits were not consolidated, but that individual parties and their gubernatorial candidates were suing to correct what he called “anomalies perpetrated by INEC.”

He called on INEC to suspend the issuance of certificate of return to Ihedioha, alleging he did not win the election as declared.