Governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu
There is trouble coming the way of the Governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu over the tax forgery suit filed against him.
According Vanguard, a huge question about the case has remained
unanswered. Did the Chief Judge of Federal High Court, Abuja, Justice
Ibrahim Auta revoke the directive given to Justice M.S. Shuaibu to hear
and conclude the tax forgery case pending against Governor Okezie
Ikpeazu of Abia State? If he did, did he communicate the information
only to Ikpeazu’s lawyer without communicating to Justice M.S. Shuaibu
and the applicant and his lawyers?
This is a puzzle a surprised Justice M.S. Shuaibu is trying to get
an answer to following the position of C.C Elele, counsel to Governor
Ikpeazu in Suit No FHC/OW/CS/191/2015, challenging the validity of his
tax certificates which he filed at the INEC office prior to the 2015
elections.
A PDP chieftain and governorship aspirant in the December 8, 2014
PDP primaries in Abia state, Sir Friday Nwosu had shortly after the
primary election won by Ikpeazu approached the Federal High Court
accusing him (Ikpeazu) of forging the tax certificates he submitted to
the electoral body.
While the matter was going on, the presiding Judge, Justice M. S.
Shuaibu was transferred to Kaduna. However, the Chief Judge of the
Federal High Court directed him to hear and conclude the matter in his
Owerri, Imo State former division.
However, when the matter came up on Friday, March 18, 2016, at the
Federal High Court, Owerri Division, for the adoption of written
addresses by parties, Ikpeazu’s lawyer, Mr. Casmir Elele informed
Justice Shuaibu that the order directing him to hear and conclude the
matter has been revoked by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court,
Abuja, an information that surprised the Judge who has not been informed
by the Chief Judge.
He therefore promised to probe to know how Elele was the only
person who has the information which neither he nor the applicant and
his lawyers have, saying that he would find out if the lawyer of his
principal had been having communication with his boss, the Chief Judge
of Federal High Court. Justice Shuaibu adjourned the matter to Thursday
28th April, 2016, to enable him confirm from the Chief Judge if there
was an order directing him to hands off the matter.
Meanwhile, the applicant [Nwosu] on his own has petitioned the
Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta, seeking to
confirm whether he revoked the order he granted Justice M.S. Shuaibu to
hear and conclude the tax forgery case against Governor Okezie Ikpeazu.
“In my humble view, there is no way C.C Elele should be in
possession of any order revoking Your Lordship’s fiat granted in my
favour, when I do not have any copy or any knowledge about it.
“The Judge, lawyers and everybody in the court were very
surprised how Barrister C. C. Elele was the one informing Hon. Justice
Shuaibu of official information which Your Lordship, the Honourable
Chief Judge should communicate to him if it exists. Again, between
Monday 14th March 2016 and today 18th March 2016, nothing happened and
no party complained against Hon. Justice Shuaibu to the best of my
knowledge.
“What could have happened, and what could have warranted
revocation of My Lord’s fiat if any, and how could My Lord have sent
Barrister Casmir .C. Elele (3rd Defendant’s Counsel) to come and
announce same to the Court and to us publicly in the circumstances”, Nwosu said in the petition.
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