“I am still the Governor of Abia State” – Okezie Ikpeazu

Okezie Ikpeazu on Thursday appealed to the Abians to remain calm and law abiding following the issuance of Certificate of Return by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) counterpart, Uche Ogah.


Ikpeazu, who was on his way to deliver an inaugural lecture at the Abia State University, Uturu when the news filtered in, cancelled the event and made a quick return to Aba.

According to Premium Times, Ikpeazu issued a statement, saying that it was wrong for INEC to issue a Certificate of Return, since he had appealed the court’s ruling.

“I have received with concern report of the purported issuance of Certificate of Return to Uche Ogah by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as governor of Abia State, despite dependency of a notice of appeal and motion for stay of the orders made by Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja. Our laws are clear on this matter. No one may be issued with a certificate of return let alone be sworn in as governor, when there is a subsisting appeal and application for stay.

I want to appeal to Abians to remain calm and law abiding in the face of this provocation, unless and until the appellant courts have conclusively resolve the appeal, the status remains, I am still the Governor of Abia State,” Ikpeazu said.