Contrary to claims by
the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that they did not
receive any Notice of Appeal from Governor Okezie Ikpeazu or an
injunction stopping the Commission from issuing a Certificate of Return
to Dr. Uche Ugah, the Attorney General of Abia State, Mr. Umeh Kalu, has
said that INEC lied in its claims.
A proof service has shown
that the Commission did indeed receive the two important documents and
it was signed for by Saleh N. Ibrahim, Senior Clerical Officer at the
Legal Services Department of the Commission’s Headquarters, Abuja, who
stamped the Notice of Appeal and Injunction with the Commission’s
official stamp by 12.50pm on Wednesday, June 29, 2016.
“It’s
unfortunate that INEC said that it was not served. But the truth is
that they were served. I have a proof to that. Saleh N. Ibrahim, Senior
Clerical Officer at the Legal Services Department of the Commission’s
Headquarters, Abuja, who stamped the Notice of Appeal and Injunction
with the Commission’s official stamp by 12.50pm on Wednesday, June 29, 2016.
“With
the foregoing, it is now clear that the Commission had no reason or
cause to proceed with their dangerous action of issuing a Certificate of
Return to Dr. Uche Ogah when it was clearly in receipt of a Notice of
Appeal and Stay of Execution expressly forbidding them from taking any
further action on the Judgment of Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High
Court pending the determination of the Appeal in the case.
“It
is rather surprising that the Commission could lend itself to be used
for an act capable of destabilizing a State in Nigeria with the
attendant consequences for anarchy and breakdown of law and order.” Kalu
said.
The Abia State Government wishes to reiterate for the
umpteenth time that Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu remains the Governor of Abia
State irrespective of whatever order was issued by the Federal High
Court and the consequential actions of the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC) pending the full exhaustion of all judicial
avenues of seeking redress.
Abia State is a peaceful State
consisting of law-abiding citizens but their patience should not be
stretched and their civility taken for granted. The citizens of Abia
State will resist any attempt to subvert their will which they freely
expressed at the polls and which was affirmed by the Supreme Court.
