Court refuses to set aside order sacking Ikpeazu

‎Okon Abang, justice of the federal high court, Abuja, says he will not set aside his previous order removing Okezie Ikpeazu as governor of Abia state.

Ikpeazu, through Wole Olanipekun (SAN), had filed an application asking the court to vacate the order.But in a ruling on Monday, Abang said that he would not set aside the order, but that he would hear other applications on the matter on Thursday.

On June 27, the judge ruled that Ikpeazu was not qualified to hold office as Abia governor because he had filed a fake tax clearance before his election in 2015.

He had given the judgment in a suit filed by Uche Ogah, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, against Ikpeazu.

In the suit, Ogah contended that the governor filed a forged tax certificate prior to his election, and as such he was not qualified to hold an elective office.

The judge upheld the argument of Ogah, ordering the removal of Ikpeazu.

Abang also ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue a certificate of return to Ogah, who was first runner-up in the PDP Abia governorship primary election, as governor of the state.