Governorship hopeful of Abia State, Dr Sampson Ogah has broken his long silence over the ongoing political crisis in the state.
In a reaction to claims that he had absconded from the state, Ogah said there was no iota of truth in the story making the rounds. He vowed to stay on and pursue his case to a logical conclusion.
Already, Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja, is scheduled to rule today on Ikpeazu’s application seeking to stay the execution of his earlier judgment sacking him from office over alleged false information contained in his tax papers.
Ogah had, penultimate Thursday, arrived in Umuahia, the state capital, in company of his supporters, clutching the Certificate of Return earlier issued him in Abuja by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in preparation for his swearing-in ceremony as the new governor the following day.
The incumbent governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, however, refused to vacate office, insisting that he had appealed the judgment, which ordered INEC to withdraw the certificate issued to Ogah. As part of the fallout, Ogah’s swearing- in could not be performed by the state Chief Judge, Theresa Uzoukwu, following an Osisioma High Court order restraining her or any other judicial officer from doing so.
Since then, the state had been in confusion regarding who the de facto governor is between Ikpeazu and Ogah.
But speaking with our correspondent on the phone on Wednesday, Ogah insisted on reclaiming his mandate as ordered by the court.
He accused Governor Ikpeazu and his supporters of being desperate in their alleged bid to continue to enslave the people of the state.
Ogah also stressed that the rumour making the round in the state about his being in hiding was part of his opponents’ “nonsense propaganda” to continue to deceive the people about the current political situation.
The former banker, who claimed to have spoken with our correspondent from his Onuaku Uturu hometown in Isuikwuato Local Government Area of the state, maintained that he had no reason to abscond as being alleged by Ikpeazu’s camp.
Responding to questions put to him on his whereabouts, almost a week after his botched inauguration as Abia governor, he said, “Ok, visit me in my village house; when you come to me in my village house, you will know if I have truly absconded or not. Just try and come so that you can confirm the report.
“At least, you are talking to me now and does my ringing tone sound like somebody who is in America? You see, this is their nonsense propaganda.
“Those people are too desperate and it is because of the evil they have committed that is making them to be scared. The confirmation I need to give is to ask you to come to my house in my state. I have nowhere to run to,” he said.
Continuing, Ogah accused the incumbent governor and his supporters of allegedly mapping out various strategies to thwart efforts to effect fundamental changes in the governance of the state.
“I can’t imagine, they don’t want Abia State to be liberated and that is why they are too desperate with their different plans,” he said.
