A political earthquake shook Abia State earlier today when a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja ordered the Governor of the state, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, to vacate office immediately for submitting false information to his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), for the party’s governorship primary in December 2014.

Justice Okon Abang in a judgment on Monday ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to immediately issue a certificate of return to the plaintiff, Uche Ogah, who polled the second highest number of votes in the primary.

Ogah, who came second in the governorship primary election held on December 8, 2014, had in a suit no. FHC/ABJ/CS/1086/2014, dated December 22, 2014, instituted at an Abuja High Court, by Obasi Uba Eke and Chukwuemeka against Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Chief (Dr) Okezie Ikpeazu, the plaintiffs are asking the PDP and INEC to disqualify Dr. Ikpeazu from contesting the governorship election of Abia State in the 2015 general elections because he is not fit and proper, having failed to pay his personal income tax for two years in line with the provisions of the Constitution of Nigeria.

The reliefs sought by the plaintiffs among others are: A declaration that the 3rd Defendant, having failed and /or refused to pay his personal income tax promptly as and when due for the years 2010 and 2011 in compliance with the mandatory provisions of Section 24(f) of the CFRN, 1999, as amended, as well as Paragraph 13 of Part IV of the Electoral Guidelines for Primary Elections 2014 is not a fit and proper person to contest the gubernatorial election of Abia State in the 2015 general election, and is accordingly disqualified from contesting the election .

Again, an Order barring the 1st Defendant from presenting the 3rd Defendant to the 2nd Defendant as candidate to contest Abia State 2015 general election.

An Order barring the 2nd Defendant from accepting the 3rd Defendant as a candidate to contest the Abia State 2015 general election. A consequential Order that the candidate at 1st Defendant’s primary election of December 8, 2014, who polled the second highest number of votes cast at the said election is the rightful candidate of the 1st Defendant for the Abia State 2015 gubernatorial election.

Paragraph 4 (c) of affidavit in support of originating summons, says, That after the 1st Defendant’s primary election of December 8, 2014, the declared/ announced result of the said primary is as follows: Iheanacho Okezie, 1 vote; Marc Wabara, 3 votes; Okey Emuchay, 3 votes; Ikpeazu Okezie, 487 votes; F.N. Nwosu, 5 votes; Uche Ogah 103 votes; Emeka Wogu, 33 votes, Acho Nwakama 5 votes, and nine invalid votes.

The affidavit notes, That by the above result, the 3rd Defendant polled the highest number of votes cast at the 1st Defendant’s primary election to nominate its candidate for Abia State governorship election, while one Uche Ogah polled the second highest number of votes cast and that unfortunately, the 3rd Defendant was / is not qualified to contest the aforesaid gubernatorial election.

Following legal rigmarole, the matter went to Supreme court, where it directed the lower court to try the mater.

Uchechukwu S. Ogah is a Nigerian oil magnate, entrepreneur, investor and philanthropist. Ogah is the President of Master Energy Group, a conglomerate with over 15 subsidiaries and interests across a variety of industries.

•Photo shows Uche Ogah.

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