The Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Owerri, Imo State, has granted 40 political parties leave to serve the originating process and other processes to Rt. Hon Emeka Ihedioha through substituted means.
Ihedioha is the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and winner of the governorship election in the state.
The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal also ordered the court to deliver same to any officer or staff of the Peoples Democratic Party at their stale secretariat, Okigwe Road, Owerri.
The political parties included Mass Movement of Nigeria (MMN), Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN), Democratic Alliance (DA), National Democratic Liberty Party (NDLP), among others.
The political parties asked for an order directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a re-run election in Imo State in compliance with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act in their separate suits filed through their counsel, Barrister Chigozie Jerry Iheanacho.
The parties told the tribunal that the governorship candidate of PDP did not meet the requirements of the electoral laws and that purported votes were void and unlawful, alleging that there was massive hijacking and diversion of ballot papers and other electoral materials to places other than polling units.
They claimed that the card readers were not used and that there was massive inflation of votes cast in some local governments which they said were unlawful.
Speaking to newsmen at the court premises, counsel to the petitioners, Iheanacho, commended the tribunal for granting leave to the parties and expressed confidence that it would deliver a fair judgment as the judiciary is the last hope of the common man, noting that the true position of voters in Imo State must be represented.
The spokesman of the political parties, Elder Chinedu Ukadike, also expressed confidence that the outcome of the tribunal would be for the benefit of Imo indigenes and urged them to remain calm and be law abiding citizens.
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