A federal high court sitting in Abuja has ruled that Okezie
Ikpeazu, Abia state governor, was not qualified to hold the office. Okon Abang, the presiding judge, gave judgment in a suit
filed by Uche Ogar, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member, against Ikpeazu.
In the suit, Ogar contended that the governor evaded tax
prior to his election, and as such was not qualified to hold an elective
office.
The judge upheld the argument, ordering the removal of
Ikpeazu for submitting false information to the PDP in the course of the
party’s primary election.
It also ordered the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) to declare Ogar, the man who placed second at the PDP
primary, as the elected candidate.
At the primary, Ogar received 103 votes to place a distant
second to Ikpeazu, who had 487 votes.
This is the latest in a series of legal battles Ikpeazu has
faced.
His election was previously challenged by Alex Otti,
candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the April 2015
governorship election.
Although, an election petition tribunal upheld his
election, the appeal sacked him. However, the supreme court returned him to
power.
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