New Imo Governor, Uzodinma Freezes All State Govt Accounts

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Wednesday, January 15th, 2020

From Ignatius Okpara, Owerri

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Imo state new governor Hope Uzodinma, of the All Progressive Congress (APC) has issued an order freezing all bank accounts belonging to the state government in various financial institutions.

African Examiner reports that An ‘Order of Post No Debit’ was issued by Director-General, Hope Uzodinma’s Campaign Organisation, Chief Cosmas Iwu, barely few hours after the Nigeria’s Supreme court siting in Abuja, sacked Governor Emeka Ihedioha of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and declared Uzodinma winner of the last governorship election in the state.

Aside all financial institutions the new Imo governor, equally asked the state Accountant-General that no bank is to honour any transaction from the government of Emeka Ihedioha or his officials.

The memo tagged: “Order of Post No Debit on all accounts of Imo State Government Effective Immediately 14th January 2020”, said “Following the Supreme Court judgment of 14th January 2020, I am directed by His Excellency, Senator Hope Uzodinma to take this to your authority/instruction to place a Post No Debit (PND) order on all accounts of the Imo State Government maintained in your various institutions.

The document added: “You are by this letter, directed to comply and await further instructions from the office of His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Imo State.”

Only on Tuesday, the Supreme Court, in a unanimous verdict, sacked Ihedioha, who assumed office as Imo governor, about seven months ago, and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue Uzodinma a certificate of return.

The seven-man panel of judges, led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, had in its decision, held, that Ihedioha did not win majority of votes cast at the March 9, 2019 governorship election in the state.

According to the judgment delivered by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, the candidate of the APC, Senator Uzodinma, won on grounds that he recorded majority of the lawful votes cast at the poll.

It also held that the lower court erred in law when it rejected evidence tendered before them to the extent that votes from 388 polling units were not credited to APC and its candidate, adding that with the result from the 388 polling units, the APC governorship flag bearer record majority lawful vote and ought to have been declared winner of the election by the nation’s electoral body, INEC.

Meanwhile, the formal swearing in of the new Imo governor is being awaited, even as the people of the area have been celebrating the victory since the news filtered into the state.