In a stern rebuke, the Supreme Court has imposed a hefty N40 million fine on Mike Ozekhome SAN, the legal representative of Emeka Ihedioha for filing a frivolous and vexatious motion related to the Imo state governorship in 2019.
The fine stems from Ozekhome’s attempt to revalidate a suit challenging the removal of Ihedioha as governor, which the court deemed “strange, frivolous, baseless, unwarranted, vexatious, and irritating.”
The Supreme Court, in dismissing the application, asserted that it lacked jurisdiction to entertain such a motion. Justice Tijani Abubakar, in the ruling, ordered Ozekhome to personally pay the N40 million fine to four respondents: the Action People’s Party ,APP, Uche Nnadi, Uche Nwosu, and the Independent National Electoral Commission ,INEC.
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Ozekhome’s motion sought a consequential order compelling INEC to issue a fresh Certificate of Return to Ihedioha, claiming that the incumbent governor, Hope Uzodinma, unlawfully spent the four years Ihedioha was supposed to serve.
The motion contended that the All Progressives Congress ,APC, had no valid candidate in the 2019 Imo governorship election, challenging Uzodinma’s legitimacy.
Justice Abubakar, in his ruling, described the motion as a calculated design to demonize the Supreme Court. The imposition of the substantial fine underscores the court’s stance against frivolous legal maneuvers and emphasizes the need for due diligence in legal proceedings.
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