The South East Revival Group, SERG, has called on the embattled governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu to respect the rule of law and step aside honourably.
SERG made the call following Ikpeazu’s failure to secure a stay of execution on the ruling of Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
Justice Abang had on June 27, 2016 sacked Ikpeazu as governor of the state over tax evasion.
The judge also ordered the Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, to issue Ikpeazu’s challenger in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, 2014 primary election in the state, Dr Uche Ogah with certificate of return, which was done.
Ikpeazu, however, filed for stay of execution in a bid to stop INEC from issuing Ogah with certificate of return which Justice Abang refused to entertain.
SERG in a statement signed by its National Secretary, Mazi Luis Obioha also urged the heads of security agencies in the country to ensure that Ogah is sworn in as the substantive governor as ordered by the Abuja Federal High Court.
“We are concerned that Abia State has no governor at the moment because Okezie Ikpeazu’s Certificate of Return, which is the basis for which he was sworn in as the state governor has been withdrawn by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and a new one issued to the Governor-elect, Uche Ogah.
“By issuing a Certificate of Return to Uche Ogah it means that INEC has withdraws Okezi Ikpeazu’s and he cannot legally hold the office of the governor of the state, after failing to obtain a stay of execution order from Abuja Federal High Court.
“We therefore call on the Inspector General of Police, the Director of the Department of State Services and all the law enforcement agencies to ensure that the Abia State Governor-elect, Dr. Uche Sampson Ogah is sworn in as ordered by the Abuja Federal High Court.
“Like many well meaning Nigerians, including the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties and the Eastern Unity Forum, we commend INEC for issuing Certificate of Return to Uche Ogah.”
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