FG not behind Ogah's desperation to be gov - Ikpeazu

Says Ogah wants to escape criminal charges under immunity

 

As the political drama in Abia State continues to unfold, Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu has absolved the Federal Government of any involvement in the botched at­tempt by Dr. Uche Ogah to take over power on Thursday.

The Governor’s position is however, in sharp contrast with the stance of his party, the Peo­ples Democratic Party (PDP), which had on Thursday, accused the Presidency of backing Ogah.

Ikpeazu who addressed a press conference yesterday in Umuahia, refuted the rumour that the Pres­idency was behind Ogah, saying that President Muhammadu Bu­hari has respect for the rule of law and could not in any way be in­volved in the saga.

The Governor rather claimed that Ogah was only being pro­pelled by his desperation to evade justice on the various criminal charges pending against him in some courts, hiding under the im­munity clause as State Chief Ex­ecutive.

His words: “I want to disa­buse the minds of people on the rumour that the Federal Gov­ernment has a hand in what is happening in Abia. No, it is only Ogah’s desperation to escape from the certainty of justice over 12 criminal charges against him in Lagos and other places.”

Ikpeazu who was flanked by his Deputy, Ude Oko Chukwu; Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly, Cosmos Ndukwe, and some of his top aides at the press conference, expressed shock at what he termed the “commando style” with which Ogah attempt­ed to unseat him.

“We are baffled by the urgency and desperation of Uche Ogah to bounce into Government House yesterday (Thursday).

“He probably wants to get a veil of impunity to escape judg­ment, and that is why he wants to rail-road himself to power.”

Ikpeazu also accused the oil magnet of “arranging for the court judgment “which ordered that he be sworn-in as Governor, claim­ing that he (Ikpeazu) was not giv­en a fair hearing.