Court defers judgement on Ikpeazu, Ogar governorship battle in Abia State

Counsel to Ogar, told the court that it was as an abuse of court processes for Ikpeazu to seek relief from the Abia high court and the appeal court

The Governorship tussle in Abia State drags on as the Appeal Court sitting in Abuja on Tuesday, August 9, reserved judgement on an application challenging the jurisdiction of the court to a hear the appeal of the Abia Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu.

A Hight Court had ordered Ikpeazu to vacate his seat as Governor for allegedly submitting fake tax clearance for the Peoples Democratic Party's (PDP) governorship primary election.

The court, however, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to swear in Uche Ogar as Governor. Ogar was the petitioner and the second runner up in the primaries.

At the Tuesday hearing, Alex Iziyon, counsel to Ogar, told the court that it was as an abuse of court processes for Ikpeazu to seek relief from the Abia high court and the appeal court at the same time.

But Wole Olanipekun, counsel to Ikpeazu, argued that the motion challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear the appeal was done in bad fate because the Abia high court had ruled that all parties must respect the outcome of court proceedings.