Court Removes Okezie Ikpeazu As Abia Governor Over Fake Tax Clearance

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The Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja has ordered the removal of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State after it annulled his election’s victory in 2016 state governorship polls.

The court also ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to issue a certificate of return to Samson Oga, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, who contested the governorship ticket with the governor.

Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court in Abuja has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission of Nigeria to cede the certificate of return to the opponent of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia state as he was never qualified to run for the party primaries in the People’s Democratic party as a guber candidate.

The judge also ordered the Chief Judge of the state to swear in, Uche Ogah, his opponent in the Decmeber 2014 gubernatorial election in state as the substantive governor of Abia state.

The judge ruled that on the account of fake tax returns during the primaries, Dr. Ikpeazu was never qualified to run in the primaries.

The court held that Mr. Ikpeazu was guilty of tax evasion and was therefore unqualified to have contested the 2015 governorship election in the state.

The court also ordered the governor to vacate office immediately. But Mr. Ikpeazu is yet to comment on the judgment.