Nigeria court sacks state governor over fake tax returns

A Federal High Court in Abuja has sacked the Abia State governor, Okezie Ikpeazu and instructed the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) to validate the election of his opponent in the (party level) election that brought him to power.

According to the court, Governor Ikpeazu was never qualified to run for the party primaries in the now opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as a gubernatorial candidate on the account of having submitted fake tax returns during the primaries.

FLASH: Governor Ikpeazu of Abia removed from office, Justice Abang of Federal High Court said he was not qualified to run for office

— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) June 27, 2016

The judge also ordered the Abia State Chief Judge to swear in, Uche Sampson Ogah, his opponent in the December 2014 gubernatorial election as the substantive governor with immediate effect.

After the 2014 elections held in the town of Umuahia, Dr.Ogah accepted defeat describing the primary as credible and transparent saying that he will not protest the outcome of the primary.

He maintained that he will not leave PDP and urged all his supporters to support Ikpeazu because he was a capable candidate to succeed the outgoing Governor Ochendo.

The southern Abia State is a stronghold of the opposition PDP who defeated the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to win the state. Nigeria’s judiciary have been ruling on the fate of the validity of several governors after last years elections.