Abia: One state, 2 govs?

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor, Innocent Anaba, Anayo Okoli, Omezia Ajayi  Abdulwahab Abdulah,  Dapo Akinrefon, Charles Kumolu & Gbenga Oke
UMUAHIA — Constitutional chaos broke out in Abia State, yesterday, after the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, issued a certificate of return to Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship claimant, Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah.

Ikpeazu and Ogah
The commission said its action was on the basis of a court ruling, Monday, by an Abuja Federal High Court which removed Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu from office as governor of the state, allegedly for failing to fulfil requirements expected of a candidate for the governorship.

The INEC action immediately paralysed activities in the Ikpeazu-controlled Government House in Umuahia, setting anxiety among officials and other stakeholders.

A widely-publicised lecture to be delivered by Ikpeazu at the Abia State University, Uturu at 11.00 a.m., for which most of Ikpeazu’s cabinet had converged was unceremoniously aborted, following news of the development in Abuja.

Ikpeazu in a riposte, filed and obtained an injunction from an Abia High Court stopping the state chief judge, the president of the Customary Court of Appeal or any other judicial officer from swearing Ogah into office.

In a move interpreted by some as keeping Ogah at bay, the Ikpeazu administration declared today and Monday public holidays. The administration said the public holidays were to honour Chief Ojo Maduekwe, who died on Wednesday.

Such developments followed yesterday’s issuance of a certificate of return to Ogah who was runner-up in the PDP governorship primary won by Ikpeazu.

Two stakeholders in the PDP, Obasi Uba Ekagbara and Chukwuemeka Mba, had taken Ikpeazu to court, following his emergence as candidate, that he was not qualified to become governor on the grounds that his tax papers were deficient.

In his declaratory ruling on Monday, Justice Okon Abang who heard the case, agreed that Ikpeazu’s tax and income papers were defective, saying he was not qualified to be the candidate of the PDP and immediately ordered that the runner-up in the primary, Ogah, be sworn in as governor.

Ikpeazu had on Wednesday, filed his appeal against the judgment and had also declared that he would remain governor.

INEC issues certificate of  return to Ogah

INEC in a surprising turn, however, issued a Certificate of Return to Ogah.

INEC National Commissioner in charge of the South-East, Ambassador Lawrence Nwuruku, said the commission only submitted itself to the lawful order of a court, adding that as a citizen, he could go to jail if he flouted a valid court order.

He said if another court upturned the decision, INEC would again submit itself to the bidding of the court.

“The situation is that we are simply obeying the court order. The court said with immediate effect, without wasting of time, we should issue him Certificate of Return and that is what we have done — to obey the court order.

“If the court tomorrow issues another order, we would obey the same. By the grace of God, I am the INEC Commissioner in charge of South-East. I’ll do the same thing if the court orders us to do so, if court says we should issue the same certificate to another person.

“In this case, court ordered us to issue a Certificate of Return to the person who won the election and that is Uche Ogah. I was the person who gave the Certificate of Return to Gov. Ikpeazu as he was declared winner.

“Now, the court has said otherwise. One thing we know is that we are not above the law and we cannot disobey the laws of the land. After the court, another person we obey in our land is God and my conscience is my God.


INEC National Commissioner in charge of the South East, Amb. Lawrence Nwuruku issuing Certificate of Return to Uchechukwu Ogah as Governor of Abia State, on Thursday, June 30, 2016
“Another thing that guides us is the court and we must obey its order with immediate effect. If you were in the cour