Abia guber: Go settle with Gov. Ikpeazu – S’ Court to Friday Nwosu
The Supreme Court, on Moday, admonished a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in Abia State, Sir Friday Nwosu, to settle his differences with Governor Okezie Ikpeazu in the interest of the people of the state.
Besides, the apex court said it had already given its judgement on the governorship crisis in the state. The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, who gave the admonition said; “We have already taken a decision on the matter and we cannot be seen to be speaking with both sides of our mouths because we are not politicians. There is only one Supreme Court.
Please go and settle and allow the people to enjoy the dividends of democracy.” Nwosu is challenging the nomination and emergence of Dr. Ikpeazu as the state governor on the grounds that he provided offensive tax papers to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
He is contesting that between the month of January and June 2014. Governor Ikpeazu was not a public servant and could not have paid his taxes appropriately under the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) system.
Before the Supreme Court, his lawyer, Mr. Solomon Umoh (SAN) filed an application dated March 15, 2017 seeking for leave to appeal. Umoh told the Supreme Court panel of Justices led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen that the Court of Appeal had stayed proceedings in the appeal to await the outcome of the Supreme Court Judgement in the appeal by Dr. Samson Ogah.
The lawyer said he intended to go back to the Court of Appeal but was helpless in view of the judgment of the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court had on May 12, 2017 affirmed the election of Governor Ikpeazu after dismissing the appeal for lacking in merit. Umoh had told the court that he needed it’s intervention on the matter. But responding to the request, the Chief Justice of Nigeria admonished the lawyer on the need to settle the dispute out of court. Justice Onnoghen said: ”
we have to accept that there must be dispute and there must be resolution because in all of these, the people that loose are the common people who are the electorates.
“There must be peace in the state so that the people who voted can get the dividends of democracy. In this country, our politicians spend three years out of the four year tenure fighting in court over elective positions. Not too much is given to governance.
“We need to have a re-think. We (Supreme Court) are not here to elect or appoint a lawmaker. We have so many pre-election appeals and it is the people that suffer at the end of the day.
“We have already taken a decision on the matter and we cannot be seen to be speaking with both sides of our mouths because we are not politicians.
There is only one Supreme Court. Please go and settle”.
Meanwhile the counsel to Uche Ogah, Alex Iziyon SAN, joined Chief Wole Olanipekun SAN in asking Dr Alex Otti's lawyer, Barr Ikwueto who stood in for Yusuf Ali SAN what they were still doing at the Supreme Court yesterday.
According to him, Uche Ogah has already accepted defeat and congratulated the authentic Governor of Abia State, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu. He reminded the Otti team that their brief was contingent upon the Uche Ogah versus Ikpeazu case which has already been settled and the expectation is that they will be in court only to withdraw their case.
Barrister Ikwueto thereafter requested for 2 weeks to enable him consult with Yusuf Ali who has their file but was unavoidably absent and revert to the court.
But the Supreme Court decided to pass the matter back to the general cause list to be attended to on the 16th of October 2017.
Governor Ikpeazu is today continuing his thank you visits to the people of Abia State for standing with him and keeping faith with his administration all through the long drawn desperate litigations instituted by Otti, Ogah and Nwosu that lost the polls and PDP primary election to him.
Today he is visiting Osisioma Ngwa, Isiala Ngwa north and Isiala Ngwa South LGAs. Yesterday he visited Umuahia South, Ikwuano and Umuahia North LGAs.
While at Umuahia North LGA yesterday, he assured the people that he will do much more than he has done in the past two years and pledged to work day and night to solve the common problems of the people.
Governor Ikpeazu called for unity of purpose among the people to drive accelerated growth and development across the state.
Besides, the apex court said it had already given its judgement on the governorship crisis in the state. The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, who gave the admonition said; “We have already taken a decision on the matter and we cannot be seen to be speaking with both sides of our mouths because we are not politicians. There is only one Supreme Court.
Please go and settle and allow the people to enjoy the dividends of democracy.” Nwosu is challenging the nomination and emergence of Dr. Ikpeazu as the state governor on the grounds that he provided offensive tax papers to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
He is contesting that between the month of January and June 2014. Governor Ikpeazu was not a public servant and could not have paid his taxes appropriately under the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) system.
Before the Supreme Court, his lawyer, Mr. Solomon Umoh (SAN) filed an application dated March 15, 2017 seeking for leave to appeal. Umoh told the Supreme Court panel of Justices led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen that the Court of Appeal had stayed proceedings in the appeal to await the outcome of the Supreme Court Judgement in the appeal by Dr. Samson Ogah.
The lawyer said he intended to go back to the Court of Appeal but was helpless in view of the judgment of the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court had on May 12, 2017 affirmed the election of Governor Ikpeazu after dismissing the appeal for lacking in merit. Umoh had told the court that he needed it’s intervention on the matter. But responding to the request, the Chief Justice of Nigeria admonished the lawyer on the need to settle the dispute out of court. Justice Onnoghen said: ”
we have to accept that there must be dispute and there must be resolution because in all of these, the people that loose are the common people who are the electorates.
“There must be peace in the state so that the people who voted can get the dividends of democracy. In this country, our politicians spend three years out of the four year tenure fighting in court over elective positions. Not too much is given to governance.
“We need to have a re-think. We (Supreme Court) are not here to elect or appoint a lawmaker. We have so many pre-election appeals and it is the people that suffer at the end of the day.
“We have already taken a decision on the matter and we cannot be seen to be speaking with both sides of our mouths because we are not politicians.
There is only one Supreme Court. Please go and settle”.
Meanwhile the counsel to Uche Ogah, Alex Iziyon SAN, joined Chief Wole Olanipekun SAN in asking Dr Alex Otti's lawyer, Barr Ikwueto who stood in for Yusuf Ali SAN what they were still doing at the Supreme Court yesterday.
According to him, Uche Ogah has already accepted defeat and congratulated the authentic Governor of Abia State, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu. He reminded the Otti team that their brief was contingent upon the Uche Ogah versus Ikpeazu case which has already been settled and the expectation is that they will be in court only to withdraw their case.
Barrister Ikwueto thereafter requested for 2 weeks to enable him consult with Yusuf Ali who has their file but was unavoidably absent and revert to the court.
But the Supreme Court decided to pass the matter back to the general cause list to be attended to on the 16th of October 2017.
Governor Ikpeazu is today continuing his thank you visits to the people of Abia State for standing with him and keeping faith with his administration all through the long drawn desperate litigations instituted by Otti, Ogah and Nwosu that lost the polls and PDP primary election to him.
Today he is visiting Osisioma Ngwa, Isiala Ngwa north and Isiala Ngwa South LGAs. Yesterday he visited Umuahia South, Ikwuano and Umuahia North LGAs.
While at Umuahia North LGA yesterday, he assured the people that he will do much more than he has done in the past two years and pledged to work day and night to solve the common problems of the people.
Governor Ikpeazu called for unity of purpose among the people to drive accelerated growth and development across the state.
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