Chief of Staff to Abia State Governor, Dr ACB Agbazuere has described Wednesday’s Supreme Court verdict retaining Dr Okezie Ikpeazu as the substantive governor of the state as victory for democracy in the state.
Addressing journalists shortly after the ruling in Abuja, Dr Agbazuere explained that the judgment is a clean bill of legality which will encourage the governor to focus on his development process of the state.
Back home at his Umuobiakwa country home in Obingwa Local Government Area of the state,, Gov. Ikpeazu had described his victory at the Supreme Court as an indication that his mandate is divine and a challenge to deliver more dividends of democracy to the state.
According to him, “We feel challenged to do more for Abia people.
“The days ahead are going to be full of activities. We promise the people that we will acquit ourselves on the mandate they so freely gave to us.”
He expressed gratitude to God for the victory, describing it as “a call to service to boost the socio-economic development of Abia.”
The governor further said that the Supreme Court judgement reaffirmed his victory at the polls and thanked the people of Abia for their continued support.
He expressed his resolve to evolve programmes and policies that would improve the life and wellbeing of Abia people.
While noting that the judgement reinforced his belief that the judiciary remained the last hope of the common man, Dr Ikpeazu recalled that “Our journey from 2015 has been a treacherous one. I remain the governor that has been removed twice and is still sitting as governor.
“During my last tenure, between 2015 and 2019, we were in court for three years out of the four years.
“The reform in the nation’s judicial system has brought an end to the issue within seven months of our swearing-in and has given us enough time to work without distraction.”
Ikpeazu said that he was confident that the days ahead would be better and appealed to the people of Abia to support the development agenda of the state government.
Business Hilights recalls that Dr Alex Otti, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), had asked the Supreme Court to annul the results of the 2019 governorship poll in 13 of the 17 Local Government Areas of Abia, alleging irregularities.
However, the trial seven-member panel of the Supreme Court, led by Justice Olabode Rhodes-Vivour, reaffirmed the election of Ikpeazu as the governor in a consensus judgment.
