Ogah, Ikpeazu must await court decision, says AGF

Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation (AGF), has advised parties in the crisis rocking Abia state to await the decision of the court.

Malami also dismissed the reports that he is behind the crisis, saying the government will not take sides with any of the key actors.

On Monday, Okon Abang, a justice of the federal high court, Abuja, ordered Okezie Ikpeazu, governor of the state, to vacate office.

The judge also asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue the certificate of return to Ogah, a directive that INEC has complied with.

In a statement issued by Salihu Isah, spokesman of the minister, Malami maintained neutrality on the issue.

“The attention of the office of the honourable attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice has been drawn to the insinuations and crass lies being peddled and disseminated by a cross-section of Nigerians and the various media platforms that the honourable attorney-general of the federation is behind the legal logjam over the Abia state governorship seat and wish to clarify that those canvassing this position have no basis to do so,” the statement read.

“Of particular concern are those who have peddled ill-natured rumours with a view to misinform our discerning populace that the honourable attorney-general of the federation and by extension, the federal government of Nigeria that gave directives to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue certificate of return to Dr. Uchechukwu Ogah declaring him governor-elect.

“He has definitely not taken any action either by spoken words or body language as far as this Abia governorship crisis is concerned.  I wish to therefore, on behalf of my principal declare that these rumours are untrue and a figment of the imagination of those pushing these selfish, shameless and irredeemable lies into public space which only translates to partisanship on the side of its purveyors.

“As far as the honourable attorney-general of the federation is concerned, the constitutional powers for the legal opinion of his office have not been invoked on this issue. So far, nobody has approached him to proffer any legal opinion to it. As a strong believer in the rule of law, it is his belief that the law should naturally take its cause.

“The honourable attorney-general of the federation will not be dragged into this controversy and mind-games being played out by the various legal minds and spin doctors of both camps at this point.  The parties involved should await the decision of the courts.”