The South-East Revival Group (SERG) has urged the embattled Abia State Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, to honourably step aside as a mark of his respect for the rule of law, having failed to secure a stay of execution of the ruling of Justice Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja at the weekend.

The group also called 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, Mr Uche Sampson Ogah, is sworn in as ordered by an Abuja Federal High Court presided over by Abang, having been issued the Certificate of Return by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

In a press statement signed by its national secretary, Mazi Luis Obioha, the group said:

“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Okezie Ikpeazu’s Certificate of Return, which is the basis for which he was sworn in as the state governor, has been withdrawn by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and a new one issued to Uche Ogah.

“By issuing a Certificate of Return to Uche Ogah it means that INEC has withdraws Okezie 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 an 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, Uche Ogah, is sworn in as ordered by the Abuja Federal High Court.”

•Photo shows Governor Ikpeazu.