An Abia State high court on the morning of Friday, July 6, 2016 granted a motion filed by the state’s governor, Okezie Ikpeazu for an extension of the order restraining the chief judge of the state, the president of the Abia State Customary Court of Appeal, and any other judicial officer from swearing in Uche Ogah, as governor of the state.
The court, presided by Justice C. H. Ahuchaogu extended the order till July 18, 2016.
The order was granted based on a motion exparte, brought by Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, praying the court to stop the swearing in of Ogah, who has been issued a certificate of return by INEC last week.
A federal court, on Friday morning, has dismissed a suit filed by another PDP challenger, Friday Nwosu challenging Ikpeazu’s victory at the party’s primary election in December 2014.
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.
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.
