Supreme Court affirms Ikpeazu as Abia governor

- Supreme Court has affirmed the election of Governor Ikpeazu of Abia state

- The court ruled that the appellant's reliance solely on the smart card readers in proving the alleged over voting killed the case

- Justice Paul Galinje in a judgement he delivered on Wednesday, January 8, said the petitioner failed to prove his case against the governor

The Supreme Court finally put to rest the legal battle over the declaration of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu as the winner of March 9, 2019, governorship election in Abia state.

TVC reports that the apex court delivered the judgement on Wednesday, January 8, in favour of Governor Ikpeazu.

Legit.ng gathered that, in a unanimous judgment delivered by Justice Paul Galinje, the apex court held that the appellant's reliance solely on the smart card readers in proving the alleged over-voting was fatal to their case.

He held that the law was clear that the petitioner must tender the voters' register, relate the document to the specific area where the documents were affected.

Justice Galinje added that the card reader print-out tendered by the appellant at the trial tribunal could not be converted into the constitution or electoral act which is the yardstick for proving over-voting.

He concluded that the appellant failed to lead credible evidence in proof of their case and the two lower courts are right to dismiss the appeal and it will suffer the same fate in the Supreme Court and is hereby dismissed.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that the government of Abia state announced plans to join the comity of states paying the new minimum wage earlier agreed with organised labour.

It was reported that Governor Ikpeazu confirmed the readiness of his administration to start paying workers of the state civil service the new federal government minimum wage beginning from January.

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Ikpeazu unveiled his administration's intention in his New Year’s broadcast to the people of the state on Wednesday, January 1.

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Source: Legit.ng