End seems not to be in sight over Abia State governorship tussle as the lingering legal battle over the governorship seat of the state took a wrong turn yesterday with the withdrawal of Justice Amina Augie of the Supreme Court from the case.
Justice Augie withdrew from the 7-man panel to hear the suit filed by Uche Oga and Friday Nwosu, challenging the nomination of Mr. Okezie Ikpeazu as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate.
At the resumption of proceedings, Ms. Augie had informed the court that she wished to be isolated from sitting on the appeals. She hinged it on the fact that she was among the panel that decided on the appeals at the Court of Appeal in Owerri.
A petition had been filed against Ms. Augie, who they accused had purportedly selected four justices of Abia extractions to sit on the appeals against the Governor Okezie Ikpeazu in Owerri. The petitioners, who were also the appellants in these appeals, also accused her of influencing the proceeding in favour of the governor.
Justice Bode Rhodes-Vivour, who presided at the Supreme Court on Wednesday, therefore, adjourned the matter. He said the new date would be communicated to parties. “The Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, shall approve of the date for this case shortly,’’ he said.
The other parties in the matter are the Independent National Electoral Commission and the Peoples Democratic Party.
