Imo cold as Uzodinma is declared governor by Supreme Court

There is an uneasy calm in Owerri, the Imo State capital following the declaration of Senator Hope Uzodinma by the Supreme Court as governor, with residents questioning the court ruling.

A resident, Mr Emmanuel Okeychukwu told our correspondent that he received the news with utmost disbelief.
He said: “If they have told me Hope will win, I wouldn’t have believed it, he did not win any election; so how did be emerge the winner?”
Meanwhile, former governor of the State and senator representing Imo West Senatorial District, Rochas Okorocha has congratulated Senator Hope Uzodinma over his victory at the Supreme Court.
Okorocha in a statement through his Special Adviser on Media, Sam Onwuemeodo, also congratulated the members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state for the victory.
He called on all hands to be on deck for the support of the new governor.
Okorocha assured Senator Uzodinma of his unflinching support.
Also another APC chieftain in the state, Vitalise Ajumbe while congratulating Uzodinma said: “I congratulate Senator Hope Uzodinma and all APC members for the victory. Imo State has come back to APC where it originally belonged.
“People who called Rev. Mbaka names as a false prophet should now apologise to him publicly. Mbaka prophesied it and it has come to past. The highest court in Nigeria has said it and there is no going back. Congratulations to Senator Hope Uzodinma and his deputy, Prof. Placid Njoku.
“Emeka Ihedioha tried his best. He fought like a lion. He outsmarted his opponents in the last governorship election. He should take it as a sportsman. Age is still on his side. He may one day be the governor of Imo State. God bless Imo State.

Meanwhile, Uzodinma has said that his stolen mandate has been recovered by the Supreme Court.
Uzodinma, who spoke to our correspondent through his spokesperson, Declan Emelumba, shortly after the apex court declared him the duly-elected governor of the state, said that the court had demonstrated bravery.
The governor-elect accused the People’s Democratic Party of not having good plans for the state.
He said: “The Supreme Court has declared Senator Hope Uzodinma as the duly- elected governor of Imo state. The beautiful thing is that our stolen mandate has been recovered.
“The governor will arrive Imo State on Wednesday and he will address the people of the state. He has better plans for the people of the state. He is experienced and the state is in for good things.”

Reporting: Stanley Uzoaru, George Onyejiuwa, Owerri.