The appeal court verdict on abia guber poll
You're referring to the Abia State governorship election dispute!
On November 22, 2019, the Court of Appeal in Abuja delivered a verdict on the appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Okezie Ikpeazu, against the judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which had nullified Ikpeazu's election as the Governor of Abia State.
Here's a summary of the verdict:
The Appeal Court's Ruling:
- The Court of Appeal upheld the judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which nullified Ikpeazu's election as the Governor of Abia State.
- The court ordered a fresh election in Abia State within 90 days from the date of the judgment (November 22, 2019).
- The court also ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to maintain the status quo ante, pending the conduct of the fresh election.
Background:
In 2019, Ikpeazu, the PDP candidate, was declared the winner of the Abia State governorship election. However, his opponent, Uche Ogah, who was the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), challenged the result in court, alleging that Ikpeazu's nomination was invalid due to a discrepancy in his tax clearance certificate.
The Federal High Court, Abuja, subsequently nullified Ikpeazu's election, citing the irregularity in his tax clearance certificate. Ikpeazu and the PDP appealed the judgment to the Court of Appeal.
Implications:
The Court of Appeal's verdict has significant implications for the political landscape in Abia State. The fresh election ordered by the court will likely lead to a new governor being elected in the state. The ruling also underscores the importance of ensuring the integrity of the electoral process and the need for political actors to comply with the law in their conduct.
I hope this summary helps!