Abia Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu reacts to Appeal Court judgment upholding his election

Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, has said that he had been reinvigorated to serve Abians better.

Ikpeazu made the declaration yesterday in Umuahia while reacting to his victory at the Appeal Court on the suit challenging his sack by Justice Okon Abang of the Abuja High Court.
Earlier, the Appeal Court has upheld the election of Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu as the rightful governor of Abia State.
Recall that an Abuja Court had sacked Ikpeazu and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission [INEC] to issue Certificate of Return to the plaintiff, Uche Ogah.
Rejecting the judgment, Ikpeazu had appealed the case which is was overturned today at the appellate court.

He said the judgment would spur him to render more effective and impactful service to Abians who gave him their mandate .

" I am ready to serve Ndi Abia with the last drop of my strength", Ikpeazu declared, while thanking God for affirming his mandate.

He described the court ruling as victory for common people that voted massively for him at the 2015 poll.

Ikpeazu also expressed gratitude to the judiciary for " remaining the last hope of man", adding that by affirming his mandate, the judiciary has once again demonstrated that "there is hope for Nigeria."

" Without  the judiciary, what would have been the fate of the son of a poor teacher like me?" He quarried.

The governor who urged for prayers, however , tasked the media to help strengthen and deepen democracy in Nigeria.

" The toils of our founding fathers are too precious to be toyed with", Ikpeazu said.

Meanwhile the Chairman, Board of  Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP), Senator Waheed Jubrin, has hailed the judgment, describing it as  justice for the people.

Jubrin who was in the state with other members of the BoT to attend the burial of late Chief Ojo Maduekwe scheduled for Saturday, said he was certain Ikpeazu's mandate would be upheld.

He said the court victory would enable Ikpeazu to settle down and deliver more democracy dividends to the people of the state.

Some top PDP notchers sighted in the company of the BoT Chairman when they stormed Government House Umuahia were Professor Jerry Gana ; former Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu; among others.

Meanwhile, there was wild jubilation in Government House Umuahia when the news of the governor's victory filtered in.

Some supporters of the governor who trooped to the seat of power to catch the mood  of the moment were observed chanting pro- Ikpeazu songs.

Similarly some top government officials and friends of the governor who had earlier converged at the Government House chapel for a prayer session later emerged with their faces beaming with smiles.

Among them were the Deputy Governor, Hon. Ude Oko Chukwu; Speaker of the House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Martins Azubuike; Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Eme Okoro; and Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Chief Charles Ogbonnaya.