Ogah, Abia governor-elect’s hope dashed just after INEC issues him certificate (photo)
– Uche Ogah was on Thursday given certificate of return by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and was to be sworn-in as governor same day
– The ceremony was cut short by a high court in Abia state which asked all parties and the state chief judge from going ahead with the exercise
– On its part, the CNPP is lauding INEC for doing the right thing and President Muhammadu Buhari for not interfering in the court process
Just as Uche Ogah was Thursday preparing to be sworn-in as governor of Abia state and replacement for Okezie Ikpeazu, his hopes were dashed by a court injunction barring the chief judge of the state from going ahead with the ceremony.
The court order barring Ogah from being sworn-in
The Abia state high court ordered the chief judge and others related to the political issue to stop the swearing-in thus cutting short the jubilation that greeted the award of a ‘certificate of return’ to Ogah by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Meanwhile, the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has commended INEC for promptly issuing certificate of return to Dr Uche Ogah as the Abia state governor in line with the judgement of a federal high court in Abuja, which sacked Okezie Ikpeazu as the state governor.
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The CNPP observed that the development was a positive indicator that Nigerian democracy is advancing, adding that the action of the electoral umpire was also a pointer to the level of non-interference in the electoral and judicial processes in the country by the Muhammadu Buhari administration.
Court order barring Ogah from being sworn-in
The conference in a statement issued in Abuja by its national chairman, Alhaji Balarabe Musa and the secretary-general, Chief Willy Ezugwu, noted that what has happened in the state shows that the era of impunity has been taken over by good conducts.
“There is hope in our democratic future as a county as any country where impunity is the norm never survives.
READ ALSO: Ikpeazu insists he remains Abia governor
“President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must be commended for this singular demonstration of courage to do what is right in line with the court judgment that ordered the issuance of the certificate of return to Dr Uche Ogah who came second in the Abia state Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary.
“The prompt action taken by INEC to obey the judgment of the Abuja federal high court that nullified the candidature of Ikpeazu as the Abia state governor has shown that democracy is working in Nigeria,” the statement read.
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