Governor Ikpeazu Files Appeal Against Court Sack Order

This was contained in a statement issued by Ikpeazu’s Chief Press Secretary, Enyinnaya Appolos on Tuesday.

Recall that yesterday, Justice Okon Abang of the high court ordered that Ikpeazu vacate office following an allegation that the governor submitted false tax information to his party, the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, during the governorship primary in December 2014.

In the notice of appeal filed by Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, the governor raised five grounds of appeal upon which he asked the Court of Appeal to set aside the judgment and orders of the high court.

Ikepazu also faulted the judge when he held that he did not pay his tax for the years 2011, 2012 and 2013, as when due, when he was a public officer whose tax deduction was under Pay As You Earn (PAYE) scheme where tax deductions were from the source of his monthly salary by the tax authorities who issued all the tax receipts and certificates.

He accused the trial judge, Justice Okon Abang of violating his right to fair hearing by embarking on judicial investigation without giving him the opportunity to address the court on the issue.

The notice of appeal read in part: “The trial judge erred in law when he ordered as a consequential order that the appellant vacates his office‎ as the Governor of Abia state immediately when there was no jurisdiction in the Federal High Court to remove, vacate the occupier of the office of the governor of a state or order the removal of such officer after the unsuccessful challenge of the result of the election at the Tribunal and swearing in of the appellant as the governor.”

“The learned trial judge erred in law when he held that the appellant presented false information to the Independent National Electoral Commission by his ingenous meticulous study and investigation of documents filed in courts ‎in the recess of his chambers and thereby violated the right of the appellant to fair hearing,” the notice of appeal further stated.