The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has explained why
it issued a certificate of return to Uche Ogah, despite an appeal filed
by the state governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, after the Monday June 27th order
by the Federal High Court, Abuja, removing him from office and mandating
INEC to immediately issue a certificate of return to his rival at the
PDP state governorship primaries in 2014, Uche Ogah.Speaking to newsmen after the presentation of the certificate of return
to Ogah, the INEC National Commissioner for South East, Lawrence
Nwuruku,said he was just obeying the court order…
According to him, he had to obey the court order so that he will not be sent to jail for disobeying the ruling of a court.
“We are simply obeying the court order. The court said with immediate
effect, without wasting of any time, that INEC should issue that
certificate. We just obeyed the court order. If tomorrow another court
overrules, I am by God’s grace the INEC National commissioner
representing South East, I will do the same thing. We are not above the
court. The court says we should give certificate of return to the person
won and that is Dr Uchechukwu Ogah. That is why we have given him. I
was the one who gave the certificate initially to Ikpeazu because he was
declared winner. Now the court says otherwise and we cannot do
otherwise. We are not above the law. Another person we obey is God. My
conscience is clear and my conscience is my God. If you were in the
court, the judgement was wonderful and direct. The court says we must
issue the certificate of return. It says if we don’t do that, they can
arrest us and jail us. I am not prepared to go to jail for anybody”he
said
