The Eastern Unity Forum (EUF) has demanded the immediate enforcement of
the order of an Abuja Federal High Court that removed Mr. Okezie Ikpeazu
from the office as governor of Abia State, urging the Attorney General of
the Federation, Inspector General of police, the Director of the
Department of state Services and other security agencies to enforce the
court order without further delay and avoid brewing anarchy in the state.
It described the judgment obtained by Ikpeazu as judicial coup, occasioned
by impunity which must not be allowed to stand.
The group at a press briefing in Abuja on Monday by its National
President, Chief (Dr) Emmanuel Okereke (OON) and the National Secretary,
Chief Willy Ezugwu also vowed to mobilize the people to enforce the court
judgment if the security agencies failed to do their job.
The text of the briefing reads in full: “we have watched with dismay the
current development in Abia State, and wish to add our voice and state in
clear terms that we are disappointed with the delay in swearing in Dr
Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah as the Governor of Abia State as directed by Abuja
Federal High Court.
“It is very clear, even to a lay man that Mr. Okezie Ikpeazu is no longer
the Governor of Abia State as his Certificate of Return has been withdrawn
by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and a Certificate
of Return issued to the Governor-elect, Dr. Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah (OON).
“And going by common sense analogy, there can’t be two valid Certificates
of Return for one Governorship position for Abia State”, the Forum said.
The body noted that “In the eyes of the Law, Notice of Appeal does not
constitute a stay of execution of the order of the court. So, in our mind,
INEC has not broken any law by issuing the certificate of return to Ogah.
And by the judgment of an Abuja Federal High Court presided over by
Justice Okon Abang, Uchechukwu Ogah became the instant governor of Abia
State until that order is set aside by a higher court”.
Describing the court verdict obtained by the embattled Abia State governor
from the State High Court as a judicial coup, the group said, “So, for
Mr. Okezie Ikpeazu to rush to another court of coordinate jurisdiction to
arrest the unambiguous judgment delivered by Justice Okon Abang on Monday,
June 27, 2016 which ordered that Ogah be sworn in immediately is nothing
but a delay tactics and judicial coup that must not be allowed to stand.
“We therefore call on the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), the
Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Director of Department of State
Services (DSS) and all other security agencies and law enforcement organs
of the Federal government to wake up and be alive to their constitutional
duties and ensure that Dr. Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah is sworn in as Abia
State governor without further delay. Anything to the contrary will be
institutionalizing impunity in South East of Nigeria.”
According to the group, If the security agencies fail to do the needful,
the people will be mobilized to enforce the order of the Abuja Federal
High Court.
“If you have been following political events in the South East, the zone
is the only part of the country that has remained shortchanged for too
long. A case in point before this rape of due process in Abia State is the
lack of representation in the Senate from Imo North Senatorial District
(Okigwe Zone) due to the lingering inconclusiveness of the re-run
election. The same is the case in Anambra Central Senatorial District
where the court has ordered for rerun election which has not been
conducted several months after the order was given. Now it is the turn of
Abia for impunity.
“This must not continue. If the agencies of the Federal Government saddled
with the responsibility of enforcing the order of the court fail to do
their job, our members across the South East region shall be mobilized to
swear in Dr. Uche Ogah.
“To continue to shortchange the South East is a clear call for anarchy in
the region. Enough is Enough”, the Forum declared.