APGA Press Release

Our Position On The Removal Of Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu As Governor Of Abia State By Abuja High Court.

The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Abia State Chapter received with mixed feelings of approval and disapproval, the judgement of Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court Abuja which sacked Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu as Governor of Abia State for tax related crime and declared Dr. Sampson Uchechukwu Ogah the Governor.

First, we commend the judiciary, and specifically Justice Abang for upholding the sanctity of our law which frowns at such heinous crime that retards our economic development, and also for deepening our democratic institution which can only thrive and survive when those who seek to preside over public offices are made to recognize and respect the demands of such offices by being responsible.

Ordinarily, the judgement ought not to have come to any one as a surprise; first, going by the alarming and below standard falsification, distortion, contradiction, inconsistencies, and inaccuracies seen on the tax documents. And secondly, after the supreme court deservedly dismissed the no case submission earlier brought by the accused and directed for the commencement of his trial, which has yielded the expected result, this is a commendable red card that serves as a warning to economic saboteurs, and a deterrent to other apostles of impunity.

However, we humbly disagree with the consequential order by the court which directed for the swearing in of Dr. Uche Ogah as the Governor.
This order which we consider a huge error is not only unacceptable to APGA, but untenable in Nigeria's 2010 electoral Act as amended,which forbids any person that did not take part in all the stages of an election from being declared winner.

Since there is no record any where to show that Dr. Uche Ogah won the primaries of his party the PDP, let alone take part in all the stages of the last governorship election in Abia, his declaration as the governor by the court is strange and alien to the law, hence our humble demand that the appellate court while upholding the Ikpeazu guilty verdict corrects this huge error by issuing the right order which is to declare the candidate that scored the highest lawful votes, the APGA Candidate Dr. Alex Otti the governor, as he did not only meet all the constitutional requirements and vote spread across the state, but even won more local governments than the sacked Okezie Ikpeazu; this is an incontrovertible fact.
Alternatively, the court should order a rerun election that would exclude the PDP and their candidate the way it has been done in some states including Kogi where the elections of two out of the three APC Senators and some House of Representatives members were nullified by both High and Appeal courts because they were ab initio improperly nominated, thus they and their party the APC were excluded in all the reruns.
Also in Abia here, APGA and her candidate were excluded from the Aba North House of Assembly rerun after her House of Assembly candidate was removed for allegedly tendering a forged certificate. This was sequel to a petition filed against APGA by PDP after the 2015 House of Assembly election. We do not believe that PDP should gain from APGA's failure and turn back to reap from its own failure in the same state because the law is not selective.

As we hold firm to these demands, and expect justice in the end, we unequivocally condemn the recent atmosphere of chaos, insecurity, and uncertainty created in the state as a result of the recent judgment.
As a party, we wouldn't support the removal of Okezie Ikpeazu as Governor surreptitiously as we insist that two wrongs cannot make a right. We, however, frown at his desperate decision to employ all forms of dangerous and anti people tactics in remaining in power, e.g, Release of millions of tax payers money with which thugs were hired from the 17 L.G.A of the state and unleashed on the state capital, including the Government House. This is most despicable considering that civil servants in the state are being owed 5 months salaries. We also condemn the alleged abduction and hiding of the state Chief Judge, thus preventing her from carrying out her primary responsibilities of justice adjudication. Procurement of a black market order from an Osisioma High Court against the judgement that sacked Ikpeazu, even when it is a fact in law that a court of concurrent jurisdiction cannot set aside or prevent the implementation of the judgement of another. The last but not the least is the deceitful and destructive declaration of two days public holidays which the government ridiculously claimed was in honor of Late Chief Ojo Maduekwe. The declaration of the two days public holidays by Ikpeazu is to say the least the worst form of reckless abuse of power, as the declaration which was actually carried out to halt the functions of government institutions that might be needed to implement the verdict against him took Abians by surprise, crippled economic activities, and subjected Abians of all classes to untold hardship as they besieged banks in IMO and Rivers for their financial transactions with the attendant risk of traveling on the road, while those who could not do so had their businesses and urgent financial needs halted. This unjust action clearly manifests Ikpeazu as an unserious minded leader devoid of knowledge of the essence of democratic governance nay economic productivity, and as one who considers his personal political interest superior to the needs of the suffering masses.

Finally we demand that all gladiators take a cue from our candidate and the man millions of Abians unanimously believe won the governorship election, Dr. Alex Otti whose peaceful mien in the face of senseless attacks and adherence to constitutionality before, during, and after the elections saved Abia from being plunged into anarchy, by being responsible and await the decision of the courts in the whole matter.

Signed
Rev. Augustine Ehiemere
State Chairman, APGA.

Ok

Where have they been all this while? Alex Otti should seek legal advice from his lawyers. He could end up with the biggest harvest.

ABIA STATE WANTS TO TURN THE BRAIN OF NIGERIANS UPSIDE DOWN!

ISSOKAY!!!!!
WE DE WATCH !!