SAM OBINNA IBE reports that last Sunday, Abia state chapter of the Peoples Democratic party (PDP) trooped out enmasse to join other 35 state chapters of the party in the country to protest the sacking of Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha as Imo state governor by the Supreme Court last week and replacement by Senator Hope Uzodinma of the All Progressives Congress (APC) by the Supreme Court.
Abians overwhelmingly turned out for protest.
It was the day the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) spoke in one voice. The members overwhelmingly told who cared to listen that the Abia is a PDP state .This can been seen from the party’s dominance of political stage and followership of PDP by who is who in God’s own state. Even those in other political parties are regarded as the dissidents who left PDP in the state because of one problem or the other. And at such PDP do not see other parties as possible threat in Abia state.
This school of thought perhaps underscores the avalanche reactions by aggrieved persons due to the sack of Ihedioha by the Supreme Court in Abia ,as people went into mourning mood.
Not only the card carrying members of PDP condemned the said judgment, even non party members joined hands in castigating the highest court in the land for a judgement many people are not comfortable with. Uneasy calm on the streets of Abia due to judgement
Since the epic judgment condemned by majority of Abians in its entirety Supreme judgement that ousted Emeka Ihedioha ordered that Senator Hope Uzodinma to be sworn in as the person who in the eyes of the law won the Imo state governorship election held on March 23,2019 in Imo state, the PDP faithful across the country with specific reference to Abia could not understand the rationale for somebody who came a distant fourth will be “crowned” governor.
Our Correspondent who monitored the mood of the people shortly after the judgment of the apex Court observed that there was uneasy calm and that anything could follow. Inscriptions on placards
Some of the bold inscriptions on the placards reads: “President Muhammad leave Judiciary alone”, “judiciary stop being cowed by Buhari”, “Save Nigeria from shame and international embarrassment”, “Can a government that cannot obey rule of law allow democracy to strive among others.”
Reactions
Addressing Journalists last Sunday in Umuahia shortly after the street wide protest,Sir Johnson Okebaram Onuigbo,the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic party,Abia State Chapter, said that the party faulted the decision of the Supreme Court to devoid Ihedioha’s victory while describing the judgment to be injurious to democracy.
2nd title: Was the Supreme Court under pressure?
He added that though the removal of PDP candidate in Imo state as Governor is painful but said that the party still has hope on the judiciary, saying that sometimes they show that they are under pressure to deliver judgement.
Call in Supreme Court to reverse itself
Abia PDP Chairman called on the Supreme Court to reverse itself by ensuring that justice is done to the person who won Imo March 23,2019 governorship election in order to restore the hope of the people on Judiciary as the last hope of the common man .
Onuigbo further called on the international community to intervene in the face of this glaring injustice meted out to the winner of Imo election,Emeka Ihedioha in particular and PDP in general .
Sack of Ihedioha unhealthy for country democracy
He further disclosed that the sacking of Ihedioha by the Supreme Court is not about the person involved, imo people but about the survival of democracy in the country.
Some of the people who spoke to Blueprint condemned the Supreme Court judgement in its totality noting that the final court of the land did not get it right this time around.
As for Comrade Ndudim Jonah ,he noted that Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha won the Imo election convincingly which he said was affirmed by both the Election petition tribunal and Appeal court respectively.
He however wondered why the the court of last bus stop did not take a cue from the other two lower courts that threw away the APC’ petitions before them.
Comrade Jonah said that Abia is not only a PDP state but the entire South East,that was why Ihedioha won in Imo before this unfortunate sack from the apex Court,adding that it is not the people of Imo state are mourning but the whole of Igbo land because PDP is for Ndigbo while Ndigbo is for PDP.
Jonah popularly called ” Nwadede” by his admirers however posited that the nationwide protests of the sacking of a performing immediate past governor of the state ,his style of leadership appreciated by his Imo people is a clear testimony that the PDP led government in Imo state did not receive a favorable judgement,little wonder,everybody is condemning it.
Also reacting the Secretary of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA )Abia state, Elder Sunday Onukwubiri said that in his personal opinion,the PDP that is now crying of unfair judgment had been shortchanging other parties over the years .
He added that PDP stock in trade has been declare us winner and leave the court matter to us wondering why they are crying wolf now that it looks as the judgment did not favour their party.
Onukwubiri faulted the idea of protesting against the Supreme Court,adding that the jurists are human beings that may not be infallible,noting that the wise thing is to gather their report and head back to the Supreme Court and urge them to do the needful by correcting itself.
He pointed out that there is no way Ihedioha and other parties would not garnered votes in the 388 poling units ,and the votes added to their candidate.
Another chieftain of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA )in Abia state,Mr Chidozie Bright Utah said that there is more to the sacking of Emeka Ihedioha by the Supreme Court that meets the eye .
He added that it looks as if the judgment was manipulated in favour of the APC candidate,now governor Sentator Hope Uzodinma , adding the protest of PDP cannot alter the judgment since Supreme Court is the final arbiter in this matter .
Utah however advised the sacked governor to wait till 2023 when he would re-contest again granted that his Imo people liked him.
Whereas another imolites who resides in Abia state,Chief Kingsley Omereka said well meaning Nigerians should condemn the sacking of Ihedioha who he said within the shortest time he presided the affairs of Imo state,he ensured that Pensioners are paid first before those in service insisting that imo people will return him in 2023.
