Abia State governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, will remain in office as governor of the state, pending the conclusion of matters in courts.
This was the decision of Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court Abuja, who on Monday, July 4, 2016 adjourned hearing to Thursday on the application for stay by Governor Ikpeazu against Abang’s ruling in favour of Uche Ogah.
Justice Abang also said that the enrollment order he gave Ikpeazu’s challenger, Dr. Uche Ogah was not an enforcement order.
He also adjourn hearing on Ogah’s application seeking to vacate the order by Justice Chibuzo Ahuchaogu of Abia State High Court, that retrain the chief judge of Abia State from swearing in Ogah as governor of Abia State, to Thursday.
Also, a federal high court sitting in Owerri, Imo State has reserved ruling for Friday on a suit filed by Mr. Friday Nwosu against the eligibility of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu.
Abia Governorship Tussle
Governor Ikpeazu is facing a legal challenge from a bitter rival from the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Dr. Uche Ogah. A federal high court in Abuja disqualified Dr. Ikpeazu, last Wednesday on account of alleged forged tax returns.
Ikpeazu had filed an appeal and obtained a stay of execution, against the Justice Okon Abang judgement which threw Abia State into a leadership crisis by ordering the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to issue a certificate of return to Ogah, who did not contest any election.
INEC went on to issue the certificate of return to Ogah in disobedience to the court injunction.
Meanwhile, a high court in Abia has issued an injunction against the swearing-in of Dr. Ogah. Reports on Friday claimed that the chief judge of the state had “disappeared”.
However, Sunday, Justice Theresa Uzokwe issued a statement denying the reports saying she is “on ground” in Umuahia, the state’s capital. She said the reports were the handiwork of desperate politicians.
“We have become children of war in Abia, and we must fight war,” Governor Ikpeazu told his supporters who trooped into Government House, Umuahia in solidarity on Friday, July 1, 2016.
