Confusion as Abia PDP guber candidate dragged to court over tax

The fate of Abia State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candi­date in the guberna­torial election, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu hangs on the cliff following allegation of nonpayment of his per­sonal income tax promptly as and when due for 2010 and 2011 in compliance with the mandatory provi­sions of Section 24(f) of the CFRN, 1999.

In this vein, Dr. Uche Ogah, who came second in the governorship primary election held on December 8, 2014, may be presented as the PDP candidate.

In a suit no. FHC/ABJ/ CS/1086/2014, dated Decem­ber 22, 2014, instituted at an Abuja High Court, by Obasi Uba Eke and Chukwuemeka Mba, against Peoples Demo­cratic Party (PDP), Independ­ent National Electoral Com­mission (INEC) and Chief (Dr) Okezie Ikpeazu, the plaintiffs are asking the PDP and INEC to disqualify Dr Ikpeazu from contesting the governorship election of Abia State because he is not fit and proper, having failed to pay his personal income tax for two years in line with the pro­visions of the Constitution of Nigeria.

The reliefs sought by the plaintiffs among others are: A declaration that the 3rd De­fendant, having failed and / or refused to pay his personal income tax promptly as and when due for the years 2010 and 2011 in compliance with the mandatory provisions of Section 24(f) of the CFRN, 1999, as amended, as well as Paragraph 13 of Part IV of the Electoral Guidelines for Primary Elections 2014 is not a fit and proper person to contest the gubernatorial election of Abia State in the 2015 general election, and is accordingly disqualified from contesting the election .

Again, an Order barring the 1st Defendant from pre­senting the 3rd Defendant to the 2nd Defendant as candi­date to contest Abia State 2015 general election.

An Order barring the 2nd Defendant from accepting the 3rd Defendant as a can­didate to contest the Abia State 2015 general election. A consequential Order that the candidate at 1st Defend­ant’s primary election of De­cember 8, 2014, who polled the second highest number of votes cast at the said elec­tion is the rightful candidate of the 1st Defendant for the Abia State 2015 gubernato­rial election.