Abuja court explains Ikpeazu's sacking

A Federal High Court in Abuja has explained the sacking of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State by Justice Okon Abang.

The Chief Registrar of the court, Emmanuel Gakko explained that Ikpeazu was sacked because he was found to have submitted false tax information to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

He said that Ikpeazu's sacking had nothing to do with forgery as the subject matter of the case before Justice Abang had to do with the Form CF001 which he submitted to INEC containing alleged false information.

“The court held that the information in Form CF.001 as shown by him (Ikpeazu) in the affidavit accompanied with other documents to INEC are false and has nothing to do with forgery.

“The court, therefore, made consequential orders under the doctrine of ‘lis pendens’, which disallows any transfer of rights or interest in any subject matter that is being litigated upon during the pendency of litigation in respect of the said subject-matter.

“The court accordingly declared Dr Ogah as the winner of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries and should be issued with the Certificate of Return accordingly.”

Gakko said that the clarification became necessary given the
“misrepresentation of facts as published in some electronic and print media and comments by both legal practitioners and laymen on the correct facts of the cases involving the Abia State Governor and the judgment of Hon. Justice O. E. Abang and Hon. Justice A. L. Allagoa.”

Justice Ambrose Allagoa of the Federal High Court, Owerri had entertained a suit filed by Sir Friday Nwosu bothering on alleged forgery or falsification of tax certificate and receipts for 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 by Dr Ikpeazu.

Justice Allagoa had dismissed that suit because the plaintiff failed to prove the allegation.