Abia
State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu yesterday said his mandate is divine from God.
He
said nobody could remove him from office.
Ikpeazu’s
election was declared null and void last week by a Federal High Court, sitting
in Abuja.
The
court said he submitted incorrect tax certificates to the Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP) to contest the party’s primary.
Justice
Okon Abang ruled that Ikpeazu was not qualified, for that reason, to have been
given the party’s ticket.
The
judge ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue a
Certificate of Return to the plaintiff, Dr. Uche Ogah, who came second in the
primary.
But
the governor has appealed the judgment.
Ikpeazu
yesterday received a team from Nzuko Ohanaeze Ukwa/Ngwa on a solidarity visit
to the Government House in Umuahia.
The
governor said the people should not worry for him because the battle had been
taken before God.
Ikpeazu
said he was optimistic that God would fight the battle for him, pleading with
them not to take up arms against anybody to avoid having casualties.
According
to him, if it were to be a case of who has more money, his opponents would have
taken over the state seat of power.
The
governor maintained that the position was not up for sale to a moneybag.
He
urged the people to continue in their prayers for him, adding: “It is not a
battle against me; it is a battle against the Office of the Governor, which I
occupy by the grace of God.
“The
coup d’état, which some desperate people from within and outside the state planned
against the state and which failed to materialise five days ago, has become
public knowledge. So, it will never succeed.”
Leader
of the delegation, Elder Emma Adaelu, said they were with the governor to show
their solidarity.
Tags
Politics