JUST IN: Abia High Court Stops Swearing-In Of Oga As Abia Gov.

Shortly after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) issued a certificate of return to Samson Ogah as the new governor of Abia state following a Federal high court ruling sacking incumbent governor Okezie Ikpeazu, an Abia high court has issued an order halting the subsequent swearing in of the newly returned governor.
A Federal High Court in Abuja had on Monday directed Mr. Ikpeazu to immediately vacate office after convicting him of tax evasion.
The court also ordered INEC to issue a certificate of return to Mr. Ogah, who contested the governorship ticket with the governor on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Mr. Ikpeazu had said through his Chief Press Secretary, Enyinnaya Appolos, that he remained the governor because he was challenging the judgment in a higher court.
Shortly after INEC issued the certificate of return to Oga, governor Ikpeazu assured Abians to remain calm, that he is still their governor.
He said: “Fellow Abians, remain calm and law abiding. I am still your Governor.
“I have received with concern report of the purported issuance of Certificate of Return to Mr. Uche Ogah by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as governor of Abia State, despite dependency of a notice of appeal and motion for stay of the orders made by Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
“Our laws are clear on this matter. No one may be issued with a certificate of return let alone be sworn in as governor when there is a subsisting appeal and application for stay.
“I want to appeal to Abians to remain calm and law abiding in the face of this provocation. Unless and until the appellant courts have conclusively resolved the appeal, the status quo remains the same: I am still the Governor of Abia State.”