By Henry Umoru

ABUJA—WORRIED by the political logjam in Abia State,  some elders from the South East zone under the aegis of Ndigbo Bu-Otu Union, NBU, yesterday, called on the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, to as a matter of urgency, compel the Abia State Chief Judge to swear in Dr. Uche Ogah as the new governor of the state.

Ikpeazu and Ogah

Rising from an emergency meeting   of  the leaders of Ndigbo Bu-Otu Union in Aba, the group noted that  a major constitutional crisis was brewing in Abia state where Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has continued to stay in office after his Certificate of Return as winner of the governorship was withdrawn by the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC.

In a statement issued at the end of the meeting by the National    President of  Ndigbo  Bu-Otu, Igwekala Ugomaduefule and made available to journalists, it noted that  this was the first time in the political history of Nigeria that anyone would be occupying an elective office without a Certificate of Return from the electoral body.

Noting that Governor Ikpeazu has the right to appeal the judgement that removed him from office, the group stressed that he should quit office for now and if he eventually succeeds in the appeal, he would return to office after INEC has issued him another Certificate of Return.

According to the group,  Section 71 of the Electoral Act is explicit that “The Commission, INEC, is to issue a Certificate of Return  within 7 days  to a candidate who won an election as proof of his/her win. But, in a case where a Court declares another candidate the successful candidate in an election, the Certificate of Return should be issued to the successful candidate  within 48 hours.”

Part of the statement read: “The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice as the Chief law officer of the Federation must rise to the occasion and forestall political crisis in Abia state by directing the State Chief Judge to immediately swear-in Dr. Uche Ogah, who in the eye of the law is today, the only legitimate governor of Abia state.

“The Chief Judge of the Federation should equally cooperate with the Attorney General of the Federation to ensure the Abia Chief Judge performs his constitutional responsibility unhindered by swearing-in Dr. Uche Ogah immediately.

“We concede that the outgoing Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has the right to appeal the judgment that removed him from office but since the instrument that made him the governor has been withdrawn by INEC, he should do the honourable thing by handing over to the new legitimate governor of Abia State, Dr. Uche Ogah.”