<\/p>\n
Following the successful entering of Gov.okezie Ikpeazu\u2019s appeal at the<\/p>\n
Court of , Abuja, a socio political group, South East Progressives<\/p>\n
Assembly (SEPA) has called on the Independent National Electoral<\/p>\n
Commission, (INEC) to withdraw the Certificate of Return given to Uche<\/p>\n
Ogah.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The group said that the successful entering of Ikpeazu’s appeal at the<\/p>\n
Court of Appeal, Abuja, has rendered invalid the Certificate of Return<\/p>\n
issued to Ogah.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
In a statement, entitled ‘A Call for INEC to Withdraw Uche Ogah’s<\/p>\n
Certificate of Return\u2019, signed by its President, Ebere Uzoukwa, the group<\/p>\n
berated INEC for aiding Ogah to stage a failed coup against Gov. Ikpeazu<\/p>\n
and the state, lamenting that such action made mockery of the judiciary<\/p>\n
and democracy in the country.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
“After a critical review of the renewed governorship tussle in Abia<\/p>\n
state, the South East Progressives Assembly (SEPA) implores the<\/p>\n
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to patriotically align<\/p>\n
with the judiciary and without further delay, withdraw the Certificate of<\/p>\n
Return unlawfully issued to one Uchechuukwu Sampson Ogah.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
“SEPA upholds the standpoint that Friday July 8 judgment of Owerri<\/p>\n
Federal High Court presided by Justice Lewis A. Allagoa which dismissed<\/p>\n
Friday Nwosu’s tax forgery suit affirming Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu as governor<\/p>\n
of Abia state and the successful entering of the governor’s appeal which<\/p>\n
has seized the jurisdiction of Justice Okon Abang’s Abuja Federal High<\/p>\n
Court on the case has rendered invalid the Certificate of Return which<\/p>\n
Ogah currently parades.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
SEPA further stated that a situation where Ogah brandishes a Certificate<\/p>\n
of Return while the court of appeal decides on the appeal emanating from<\/p>\n
his suit makes mockery of the judiciary and democracy in Nigeria.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cNotably, Certificate of Return is neither given in advance nor by mere<\/p>\n
anticipation on a pending case. We have expected INEC to be properly<\/p>\n
guided by this process of court and retrace itself to further restore<\/p>\n
normalcy and calm in Abia state.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
“The governorship of a state is sacred hence it is constitutionally<\/p>\n
protected from any form of invasion and intrusion. A situation where a<\/p>\n
usurper who never participated in all stages of an election brandishes<\/p>\n
the toga of ‘Governor-Elect’ by virtue of certificate of return<\/p>\n
unlawfully given by INEC does not only pose a threat to the sitting<\/p>\n
governor but suggests a conscripted coup against the state.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
There is no provision whatsoever in the constitution and electoral act<\/p>\n
that justifies the Certificate of Return Ogah parades especially as<\/p>\n
Ikpeazu’s appeal had legally activated the ‘status quo’ that must be<\/p>\n
maintained under the law pending the determination of the case by the<\/p>\n
court of appeal.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The group advised Ogah to place the peace and unity in Abia state above<\/p>\n
personal gains, by halting actions capable of causing hatred among the<\/p>\n
people of the state.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
According to SEPA, \u201cThe people of Ukwa\/Ngwa supported Orji Kalu who<\/p>\n
governed the state for 8 years from Abia North. They also supported<\/p>\n
Umuahia in Abia Central for 8 years via the immediate past Governor Sen.<\/p>\n
Theodore Orji. It will be totally unfair for Uche Ogah and some of his<\/p>\n
kinsmen from Abia North to stage a coup against Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu and<\/p>\n
Ukwa-Ngwa people just after one year in office. SEPA strongly believes<\/p>\n
that anyone seeking equity must do so with clean hands.”<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Following the successful entering of Gov.okezie Ikpeazu\u2019s appeal at the Court of , Abuja, a socio political group, South East Progressives Assembly (SEPA) has called on the Independent National…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":50858,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-51078","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles-opinions"],"yoast_head":"\n