Easy Road for APGA's Alex Otti as Court May Disqualify Abia PDP Candidate over Tax

 

Dr Alex Otti of the All Progressives Grand Alliance may probably have an easier battle if court grants the prayers of Obasi Uba.

The Abia State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the February 28, governorship election, Okezie Ikpeazu, may lose his candidature following allegation of nonpayment of personal income tax for 2010 and 2011.

The action amounts to non-compliance with the provisions of Section 24(f) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).

In this vein, 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 against the PDP, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Ikpeazu, the plaintiffs are asking the PDP and INEC to disqualify Ikpeazu from contesting the governorship election general elections.

They posited that Ikpeazu 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, urging the PDP to present Ogah.

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.

Consequently, they asked that Ikpeazu be disqualified from contesting the election.

The plaintiffs also sought an order barring the 1st defendant from presenting the 3rd defendant to the 2nd defendant as candidate to contest Abia State governorship election.
Also, the palintiffs sought an order barring the 2nd defendant from accepting the 3rd defendant as a candidate to contest the Abia State governorship election.

Also sought is 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 gubernatorial election.
Paragraph 4 (c) of affidavit in support of originating summons says: That after the 1st defendant’s primary election of December 8, 2014, the declared/announced result of the said primary is as follows: Iheanacho Okezie 1 vote; Marc Wabara 3 votes; Okey Emuchay, 3 votes; Ikpeazu Okezie 487 votes; F.N. Nwosu 5 votes; Uche Ogah 103 votes; Emeka Wogu 33 votes; Acho Nwakama 5 votes and nine invalid votes.

If this happens, then Dr Otti will go into the gubernatorial election with little or no opposition as Uche Ogah is very unpopular in the State.

APC and PPA currently poses no threat to APGA and PDP.