By Victor Madumere, Okey Alozie
Tension and uncertainty are pervading the camps of Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governorship candidate in Imo State and the governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Anayo Okorocha who is of the All Progressive Congress extraction, as their election petition matter comes up today at the Supreme Court in Abuja.
The out-come of the case will determine the fate of the two political gladiators and their camps.
In the Supreme Court, the Governor and his legal team will be battling to maintain his position as the Chief Executive of the state in an election petition suit filed by Hon Emeka Ihedioha challenging the victory of Okorocha at the 11th and 25th April 2015 governorship election in Imo State.
Earlier, the tribunal at the Owerri High Court had dismissed Ihedioha’s petition for failure to pay (N100) hundred naira hearing notice fee. Sequel to the ruling, Ihedioha’s legal team approached the Appeal Court which quashed the ruling of the lower tribunal but went further to dismiss the appeal for improper service, when there was evidence of service to all respondents in the case file.
That decision of the Appeal Court was what Ihedioha and his legal team are challenging in the Supreme Court. It will be recalled that the matter was supposed to have come up on Monday 19th October 2015 but was adjourned to today 22nd for an alleged failure of the Apex Court to serve all the respondents.
Meanwhile, after a long adjournment spanning six months the matter between the elected officials of the 27 local governments in Imo State the Appeal Court will today resume hearing on the matter today.
Information gathered by Trumpeta disclosed that sitting will be for the adoption of the brief filed by the parties. It was also revealed that as at yesterday the Imo State House of Assembly was yet to file its case, the same party whose proof of service caused the last long adjournment.
It will be recalled that the embattled elected council officials were sacked from office after eight months on the saddle. However after the judgement of the Appeal court that their sack was unconstitutional, illegal and null and void, the officials went to Justice Goddy Anunihu’s court to contest for the constitution provision of their tenure.
Their suit was thrown out by Justice Anunihu for an alleged abuse of court process, and it is that judgmenbt they are challenging in the Appeal Court now.
And again, the matter between the past appointees in the Ikedi Ohakim regime and Governor Rochas Okorocha, over the none trial Court, at the High Court Complex Owerri, Thursday, Oct 22.payment of their severance allowances will come up today at the National Industrial Court, at the High Court Complex Owerri, Thursday, Oct 22.
The past Commissioners, Special Advisers SAs and Senior Special Assistance SSAs, in the Ohakim administration dragged Okorocha to court after he refused to pay them their statutory severance allowances after serving in the State Expanded Executive of Imo State.
The plan of Imo State Government to merge Autonomous Communities may hit the rock if care is not taken.
Source revealed that Imo State Assembly is yet to deliberate fully on the issue and may not be in support of the Governor to execute his plan.
Moreover some of the traditional rulers who are aggrieved over the issue have vowed to go to court again to challenge and resist the plans.
The Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha recently at Ahiajoku Convention Centre New Owerri disclosed that he will reverse to the 1979 constitution which recognized only 209 Autonomous Communities adding that election of community government council will be based on that and no longer 637 Autonomous. This pronouncement as we gathered did not go down well to some groups as it has generated a lot of ripples.
