Umeadi v Uzodinma: Is there a deliberate plot to avoid hearing the case of the 2019 Imo Election?

There is a general belief among the people of Imo State, that there is a deliberate plot, to keep the Supreme Court from hearing the suit filed by Chief Philip Umeadi SAN, over the legitimacy of Hope Uzodinma as govenror of Imo State.

The belief stems from the long waiting in hearing the matter, and the failure to hear it on the 11th of January 2021, as earlier reported.

Umeadi has approached the Supreme Court since October 2020, praying the court to explain how the Supreme Court in it’s ruling, declared Uche Nwosu as the candidate of APC and AA, in the 2019 General Elections, yet the same Supreme Court removed Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha, based on the available record to the court, that the APC scored more votes in the election, and returned Hope Uzodinma as govenror of Imo State, when by the ruling of the same court, Hope Uzodinma didn’t even participate in the election, since he was not the candidate of the APC.

The case had seemed to remain dormant since October 2020, despite the high apprehension and anticipation of the people of Imo State, to hear what how the Supreme Court would explain their contradicting rulings, or reinstate Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha as the second highest in the 2019 elections, granted that the APC came first in the number of votes, according to the evidence before the court.

The delay haven’t gone down well with the people of Imo State, who believe this to be a deliberate attempt, to deny the people of their mandate, thereby casting doubts as to the integrity of the Supreme Court.

The common man on the streets, would even link the non-payment of pensioners and Civil Servants, to the Philip Umeadi case, believing that the money meant for these things, are being diverted to buy a favourable judgement.

Others are of the view, that the Supreme Court is lost as to how to approach the matter, which seems straightforward even to the layman, and are probably buying time, to come up with a reason that could be believable enough for their rulings, and why Hope Uzodinma should not be removed.

When the news of the hearing of the case on the 11th of January 2021 broke, there was heightened excitement across the state, as the people looked forward to the Supreme Court redeeming itself in their eyes.

There was also very high apprehension amongst the interested political parties and players, as they seemed to keep quiet and watch in anticipation of what the court would say. There was a noticeable absence of Govenrment vehicles on the roads, as appointees, probably anticipating a sack of the Uzodinma administration, were either getting ready to return the vehicles in their possession without embarrassment, or finding ways to hide away the vehicles, as has been a trend with former appointees in the past that made away with Govenrment vehicles.

There was however, the absence of heavy security on the streets of Imo State, unlike during the day of the verdict that removed Ihedioha, and the day of the ruling stopping his request for review. The absence of heavy security, was viewed as a good sign by the people, who believed that heavy security is usually used during unpopular rulings, as a way to force the people to silence, while lack of heavy security gave an impression that the ruling would be favorable to the people.

The failure of the hearing to hold, have been received with mixed reactions. MaaziTV went around the state capital Owerri, to interview randomly selected people, who voiced their displeasure, and their suspicion of attempt at foul play to deny the people of Imo State.

There have been no reaction from the interested parties, as the Ihedioha camp and Uzodinma camp remain quiet over the matter.