Abia political crisis: This illegality will not stand, says Ikpeazu

Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia said on Friday that he would challenge the Federal High Court judgement that sacked him up to the Supreme Court.

Ikpeazu said this at the Government House, Umuahia, while reacting to Thursday's issuance of certificate of return by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to Dr Uchechukwu Ogah.

Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja had in his judgement on Monday ordered INEC to issue a certificate of return to Ogah and also ordered Ikpeazu to vacate office.

The development caused tension in the state on Thursday, following an alleged attempt by Ogah to get the state Chief Judge, Justice Theresa Uzokwe, to swear him in as the governor.

Briefing newsmen at the Government House, Ikpeazu said the illegality would not stand, saying that there was an injunction restraining Ogah from being sworn in.

He said, "I am still the governor of Abia, so, I appeal to our people to remain calm until the final verdict of the Supreme Court.

"This illegality will not stand. I will test the judgment in the Appeal Court up to the Supreme Court.

"Even if it was a death sentence, I don't think that I will be executed without right of appeal. 

"That right is fundamental, that right is undeniable and a denial of that right is a denial of my fundamental right , "he said.

The governor said that he was resolute in his determination to defend the mandate given to him and assured the people that the mandate was still intact.

"What is on trial in Abia is democracy and not me as a person, "he said .

According to him, the tenets of democracy emphasise that the will of the people is sacrosanct .

Speaking on the allegation of tax evasion levelled against him by Ogah, Ikpeazu said that, as a government employee, his tax was paid to Abia Board of Internal Revenue.

He said that the board had come out with an affidavit to prove that the tax receipts he tendered were issued by it and was ready to defend the documents.

The governor urged the people to disregard the speculation in some quarters that the crisis in the state was influenced by the Federal Government.

He said that the Federal government, which is currently fighting corruption in the country, could not indulge in such an act that was antithetical to democracy.

Ikpeazu expressed happiness over the conduct of youths in the state and urged them to maintain their calmness.

He said that "Abia is calm contrary to current act of wanton destruction of oil pipelines in other Niger Delta states in the country.

"Abia perhaps is the only Niger Delta state in the country where youths have refused to join in vandalising Federal Government pipeline installations." (NAN)