Abia Gov Controversy: Ex-Ohanaeze boss seeks security beef up

A former President-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo and Chairman of Anambra Elders Council, Dr Dozie Ikedife, has asked the Federal Government to deploy more security personnel to Abia State to avert possible break down of law and order arising from the on-going governorship crisis in the state VANGUARD reports.

Ikedife, who made the call in Nnewi, Anambra State, yesterday, while speaking on the way forward concerning the political crisis in the state, asked state elders supporting Governor Okezie Ikpazu and his challenger, Dr Uche Ogah, who a court has been asked to be issued a certificate of return by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to be careful not to allow the situation to disturb the peace.

He said his fear was that miscreants might hijack any chaotic situation to unleash mayhem, adding that it was quite unfortunate that many elections in the country ended up in the tribunal or court where three, four, five or more judges would take a decision and pronounce judgement on who won an election instead of the mandate of the people who chose their leader.

Ikedife, who stated that such a system was untidy and should be changed, however, insisted that court orders, when pronounced, should always be obeyed to avoid contempt.

He said he would not blame the INEC for issuing the certificate of return to Ogah, going by the court judgement, adding that INEC had no right to withdraw it from Ogah. He lent his opinion to those who said that the judgement of a higher court of competent jurisdiction should prevail.

Also, yesterday, a legal practitioner, Mr Kayode Ajulo, argued that the matter will be resolved at the Supreme Court.

He told Sunday Vanguard: “I don’t think there is any controversy on that. The constitution is so clear about our adjudicatory system. If there is a presumption of error on the lower court, that is why we have the court of appeal. If there is still that possibility of irregularities and error at the court of appeal, that is why we have the Supreme Court.”