A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu, to vacate office immediately.
The court, in a suit brought against Dr. Ikpeazu by his PDP arch-rival, Dr. Uche Ogar, declared him unqualified to contest the Abia governorship election of last year for alleged tax evasion.
Ikpeazu was alleged to have submitted false information to his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, for the party’s governorship primaries in December 2014.
Justice Okon Abang, who gave the order on Monday, directed the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to immediately issue a Certificate of Return to the plaintiff in the case, Uche Ogah, who polled the second highest number of votes in the primaries of the PDP.
Meanwhile, Ikpeazu has called on Abians not to panic, but “remain calm” over the judgment of Justice Okon Abang.
Governor Ikpeazu, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Enyinnaya Appolos, said that he has faith in the judiciary and rule of law, adding that he will appeal the ruling as he has instructed his lawyers to file an appeal immediately against the said judgment.
The Governor noted that as an appointee of the Abia State Government from 2011 to 2014, when he served as the General Manager, Abia State Passengers Integrated Manifest and Safety Scheme (ASPIMSS), and first Deputy General Manager, Abia State Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA) Aba and Environs respectively, before his resignation in October 2014 to contest the Governorship election in the state, his taxes were deducted at source within that period.
According to him, when he had need of his tax clearance in 2014, he applied to the Abia State Board of Internal Revenue, and was duly issued with his tax receipts for the period in question.
Ikpeazu maintained that he remains the Governor of the state according to law and will await the final determination of the matter by the appellate courts.
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