The patron of Imo Concerned Citizens Forum, Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charly boy, yesterday, lead street a protest in Owerri, Imo State over the Supreme Court judgment that ousted Emeka Ihedioha.
“As a little boy, a ten-year-old boy, my father, who was once in charge of the Supreme Court once said that the Supreme Court can make mistakes. We admit that the Supreme Court has made a mistake. They should correct themselves.”
This is as an attempt by the some hoodlums suspected to be supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to stop the protest was foiled by angry youths and security agents.
Thousands of supporters of Ihedioha had converged on the ancestral ground of Owerri, Ugwu Ekwema on Egbu road, before 10am to continue with the protest against the removal of the former deputy speaker of the House of Representatives.
Oputa told the teeming members of Imo Concerned Citizens (ICC) that the protest was for the good of Imo and her people.
“We are here because of the progress of Imo, especially the youths who have people like me. The Supreme Court judges made a mistake and what we are doing here is to say there has been a miscarriage of justice. We are pleading with the justices that they should please reverse themselves on Imo.”
He lamented at what he described as so much injustice in the country.
“I know that part of government’s job is to protect citizens but what we see is systematic endemic injustice and we will stand together to fight it wherever we see it.”
One of the leaders of the ICC, Kingsley Onwubiko, said Imo people were angry at the removal of Ihedioha, who is “our liberator, a man who came and removed foolishness from our state. We beg the apex court to give us back the man Imo people voted for.”
The apex court had in a unanimous judgement nullified the election of Ihedioha and declared Hope Uzodinma of the All Progressives Congress, APC, winner of the governorship poll held in February last year.
Uzodinma has since been sworn in and Ihedioha had approached the Supreme Court seeking the apex court’s reversion of its judgment.
After Wednesday’s protest, Ihedioha displayed photos of the protest on his twitter handle, saying that “Today, concerned citizens of our State took to the streets yet again to carry on with their demand for justice.
“I encourage our people to continue to be peaceful and law abiding, as we remain firm in our resolve to strengthen our democracy.”
