The Supreme Court has fined a constitutional lawyer Mike Ozekhome (SAN) N40 million for filing a “frivolous and vexatious motion” concerning the court’s ruling on the 2019 Imo State governorship election.
Ozekhome, counsel for Emeka Ihedioha of the Peoples Democratic Party, had asked the court to review its judgement and remove Hope Uzodimma from office as Imo State governor.
The applicant prayed the court to give a consequential order to the Independent National Electoral Commission to issue a certificate of return to Ihedioha as the validly elected governor of state in the 2019 election.
Ozekhome’s motion claimed that the All Progressives Congress had no candidate in the 2019 Imo governorship election, hence Uzodimma ought not to have been made governor on the platform of APC.
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Reading the lead judgment on Tuesday, Justice Tijjani Abubakar held that the application lacked merit, and was frivolous and vexatious.
He said the court lacked jurisdiction to determine the matter, adding that the 60 days stipulated to hear the election matter had since elapsed.
Abubakar subsequently fined Ozekhome N40 million.
He was asked to pay the N40m fine to the four respondents he dragged before the court.
Those to be paid are the Action Peoples Party, Uche Nnadi, Uche Nwosu and INEC.
