June 28, 2016
The Abia State Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu has urged
Abia state citizens not to panic over the news of his reported removal by the
Abuja high court.
Ikpeazu gave the advice on Monday afternoon through a media release signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Enyinnaya Apollos in response to a judgment obtained against him by Mr Uche Ogar.
The governor said that he had faith in the judiciary and the rule of law, stressing that he has instructed his lawyers to file an appeal immediately against the said judgment.
He said that he was an appointee of the state government from 2011 to 2014, when he served as the General Manager, Abia State Passengers Integrated Manifest and Safety Scheme (ASPIMSS).
Ikpeazu further said that he also served during the same period as the first Deputy General Manager, Abia State Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA) Aba and Environs prior to his resignation to contest the elections.
He said that the state was during the time deducting his taxes at source before paying him his salary adding that when he needed the tax clearance in 2014, he applied to the BIR which duly issued them to him.
Ikpeazu said that he remained the state governor according to law and would await the outcome of the matter at the court of appeal.
Ikpeazu gave the advice on Monday afternoon through a media release signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Enyinnaya Apollos in response to a judgment obtained against him by Mr Uche Ogar.
The governor said that he had faith in the judiciary and the rule of law, stressing that he has instructed his lawyers to file an appeal immediately against the said judgment.
He said that he was an appointee of the state government from 2011 to 2014, when he served as the General Manager, Abia State Passengers Integrated Manifest and Safety Scheme (ASPIMSS).
Ikpeazu further said that he also served during the same period as the first Deputy General Manager, Abia State Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA) Aba and Environs prior to his resignation to contest the elections.
He said that the state was during the time deducting his taxes at source before paying him his salary adding that when he needed the tax clearance in 2014, he applied to the BIR which duly issued them to him.
Ikpeazu said that he remained the state governor according to law and would await the outcome of the matter at the court of appeal.
Ogar, one of the 2015 guber elections candidates in
Abia was on Monday declared the rightful candidate for the election by an Abuja
high court which disqualified governor Okezie Ikpeazu.
Ogar who was a candidate under the PDP obtained the ruling from an Abuja federal high court presided over by Justice Okon Abang which declared Ikpeazu not qualified to hold the office.
The court presided over by Justice Okon Abang sustained Ogah's argument in his suit that Ikpeazu evaded tax prior to his election.
Following Ogar’s submission, the judge disqualified Ikpeazu and said that the governorship position will go to Ogar who scored the second highest votes at the PDP guber primaries in Umuahia.
The court therefore ordered the removal of governor Ikpeazu for tendering false information to the PDP in the course of processing his candidature for the election.
It further ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare Ogar who scored the second highest votes at the PDP primary as the rightful candidate.
Ikpeazu scored a total of 487 votes while Ogar followed with103 votes at the primaries which threw up Ikpeazu as the PDP flag-bearer for the 2015 guber elections.
Ikpeazu has faced a number of court cases since coming into office in May 2015 and Ogar's suit comes four months behind the conclusion of Dr Alex Otti’s.
Ogar who was a candidate under the PDP obtained the ruling from an Abuja federal high court presided over by Justice Okon Abang which declared Ikpeazu not qualified to hold the office.
The court presided over by Justice Okon Abang sustained Ogah's argument in his suit that Ikpeazu evaded tax prior to his election.
Following Ogar’s submission, the judge disqualified Ikpeazu and said that the governorship position will go to Ogar who scored the second highest votes at the PDP guber primaries in Umuahia.
The court therefore ordered the removal of governor Ikpeazu for tendering false information to the PDP in the course of processing his candidature for the election.
It further ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare Ogar who scored the second highest votes at the PDP primary as the rightful candidate.
Ikpeazu scored a total of 487 votes while Ogar followed with103 votes at the primaries which threw up Ikpeazu as the PDP flag-bearer for the 2015 guber elections.
Ikpeazu has faced a number of court cases since coming into office in May 2015 and Ogar's suit comes four months behind the conclusion of Dr Alex Otti’s.
Otti who is the flagbearer of All Progressive Grand
Alliance (APGA) challenged Ikpeazu's victory at the election which Ikpeazu later
won at the Supreme court on February 3, 2016.
The argument that Ikpeazu evaded tax as an Abia state government appointtee is still the subject of another court case pending between Chief Friday Nwosu and governor Ikpeazu in an Abuja high court.
However, a lawyer and a PDP member who desired anonymity has argued that Ogar walked out of the venue of the primaries in anger without endorsing the result of the PDP primaries.
The lawyer said that following such action which meant that Ogar did not accept the election, he cannot benefit from an election which he presumed did not hold at all.
“The implication of this action is that even if the court proves Ikpeazu guilty of forgery, Ogar's action at the primaries will still rob him of the position if the PDP can provide the evidence that he did not accept the election.
“As a result he
cannot be made a governor at this time through this particular election in Abia
although he has a good name and leadership qualities that can take him there”, the
lawyer said. The argument that Ikpeazu evaded tax as an Abia state government appointtee is still the subject of another court case pending between Chief Friday Nwosu and governor Ikpeazu in an Abuja high court.
However, a lawyer and a PDP member who desired anonymity has argued that Ogar walked out of the venue of the primaries in anger without endorsing the result of the PDP primaries.
The lawyer said that following such action which meant that Ogar did not accept the election, he cannot benefit from an election which he presumed did not hold at all.
“The implication of this action is that even if the court proves Ikpeazu guilty of forgery, Ogar's action at the primaries will still rob him of the position if the PDP can provide the evidence that he did not accept the election.
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