The youth wing of Ohanaeze Ndigbo has warned that the South East may boycott the 2023 elections if the Supreme Court failed to review its judgement which annulled the election of Chief Emeka Ihedioha as Governor of Imo State.
Ihedioha of the Peoples Democratic party (PDP) has approached the Supreme Court requesting for a review of the judgment that replaced him with Hope Uzodinma.
National youth leader of Ohanaeze, the pan-Igbo group, Mr. Arthur Obiora, at a press briefing in Enugu, yesterday, said the apex court’s judgement negated fairness and justice, and hence failed Ndigbo and Nigerians.
“The judiciary, especially the apex court, must be truly independent in order to serve fair judgments and be the last hope of the common man. If nothing is done to reposition the judiciary in the country in order to give fair judgments to all and all these continues till 2023, I think all Igbo and the entire South East will boycott the general elections.
“It is for the apex court to do right and bring to fairness its earlier judgment considered and perceived by millions of Nigerians to be wrong, unfair, and that which did not look at the entire picture of facts and figures before it. Most Nigerians believe that Ihedioha’s return (to seek for the review of judgment) will give the apex court the latitude and opportunity to reverse itself and ensure that the right thing is done. This will save the entire judiciary, the nation, and black world the scorn and shame the judgment brought to Nigeria,” Obiora said.
Meanwhile, Governor Uzodinma has warned against ‘incessant protests’ following the Supreme Court judgment that sacked Emeka Ihedioha saying the trend was a threat to the peace and stability of the state.
He gave the warning, yesterday, when he addressed members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers and Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), who visited him in Government House in Owerri.
“Government will do all within the ambits of the law to maintain peace and order; those who are engaging in these incessant protests must stop forthwith.
I took an oath to maintain peace and protect the lives and property of the citizens, I will not fail to deal with any group causing breach of the peace in the state,” Uzodinma said.
The governor reassured persons with disabilities that his administration would provide equal opportunities for citizens and that no group of persons would be marginalised.
“There will be no marginalisation against you. Whatever anybody can do, i am sure you can do it, you’ll be given equal opportunities. So I implore you to go on and be happy because this is your government,” he told the physically challenged.
Pledging support and loyalty to the governor, NURTW’s Izuchukwu Okebaram, enjoined members to shun incitements by politicians intended to lure them into becoming willing tools that would breach the peace of the state Ohanaeze.
Okebaram thanked the governor for his prompt intervention in resolving the crisis in the union which he ascribed to “the unconstitutional and illegal removal of a validly elected state executive by the last administration.”
THE SUN, NIGERIA