Governor Okezie Ikpeazu

The Supreme Court on Tuesday temporarily suspended the hearing of appeals against the election of Okezie Ikpeazu as governor of Abia pending harmonisation of processes by the parties.

Justice Tanko Mohammed-led six other justices of the apex court to arrive at the decision.

Three motions brought by Dr Uche Ogah of PDP, All Progressives Grand Alliance and Alex Oti, were heard and decided.

Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), Dr Alex Izinyon (SAN) and Chief Patrick Ikwueto (SAN) represented the governor, Ogah and Oti respectively.

On Oti’s motion for joinder, Mohammed held that the court required proper addresses to be filed by parties since the application had become contentious.

“In the light of this, we would not be going on with the hearing of the substantive appeals.

“The Counsel to Oti is given four days to file his written address to convince the court why his client should be joined in the matter.

“The respondents counsel are given seven days to file their replies while the applicant’s counsel is given another extra two days to file his replies to the respondents’ arguments,’’ he said.

Mohammed also held that a new hearing date would be communicated to the parties when all the processes were received by the court.

The Court if Appeal had on Aug.18 upheld Gov. Ikpeazu’s election as governor of Abia by nullifying an Abuja Federal High Court judgment which declared Ogah as governor of Abia.

Justice Okon Abang had on June 27 found Ikpeazu, guilty of tax offences and nullified his election as governor.

Dissatisfied with the decision of the Court of Appeal, Ogah approached the apex court to test the strength of the judgment.(NAN)