News Obiaks News

The Supreme Court on Wednesday, January 8, 2020 upheld the election of Dr. Okezie Victor Ikpeazu as Governor of Abia State. A seven-man panel of justices led by Justice Olabode Rhodes-Vivour gave the judgement. It would be recalled that Dr Alex Otti of APGA had approached the apex court seeking to be declared Governor of Abia State. The APGA candidate had previously lost both at the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal and the Appeal Court. Counsel to the PDP, Dr. Livy Uzoukwu, SAN, on Wednesday urged the apex court to dismiss the Appeal for want of merit. Counsel to Governor Ikpeazu, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, supported Dr. Uzoukwu’s call. “My Lords, this appeal shouldn’t have been before you in the first place. It’s a gross abuse of the processes of this court. My Lords should not hesitate in dismissing this appeal”, he said. “My Lords, what is before you is a strange appeal and I urge the Court to do the needful and dismiss it”, Olanipekun added. The Court after listening to the parties announced its judgement. In the Appeal number marked SC.1465/2019, the Court held that the Appeal by Dr Alex Otti was a waste of time and abuse of court processes. The apex court subsequently dismissed the appeal for lacking in merit.