Ogah-Ikpeazu
Ogah-Ikpeazu

The Independent National Electoral Commission, today in Abuja issued a Certificate of Return to Mr Uche Ogah as Governor of Abia State and as ordered last Monday by Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court. This ordinarily makes Ogah the new governor of Abia State.

Ogah came second in the Peoples Democratic Party’s governorship primary election in the state in 2014. The High Court judgement held that the incumbent governor, Okezie Ikpeazu was not qualified to stand for election having failed to pay his personal income tax for two years. The court therefore ordered that Ogah who scored the second highest number of votes after Ikpeazu should be issued with the Certificate of Return by INEC without delay.

The Director of Publicity of INEC, Oluwole Osaze-Uzi, presented the certificate to Ogah today. The presentation of the certificate however may be the beginning of crisis in Abia State as there are bound to be contentions on both sides.

This afternoon, Mr Okezie Ikpeazu released a statement in which he claimed to still be the governor of Abia State. His statement read:

“I have received with concern, report of the purported issuance of Certificate of Return to Mr Uche Ogah by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as governor of Abia State, despite the pendency of a notice of appeal and motion for stay of the orders made by Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

“Our laws are clear on this matter. No one may be issued with a certificate of return let alone be sworn in as governor, when there is a subsisting appeal and application for stay.

“I want to appeal to Abians to remain calm and law-abiding in the face of this provocation. Unless and until the appellant courts have conclusively resolved their appeal, the status remains. I am still Governor of Abia State.”