Abia State is full of tension as indigenes await the Appeal Court verdict in Port Harcourt on the seven appeals filed by contenders for the Governorship tomorrow.

Those involved include Governor Theodore Orji; Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governorship candidate, Onyema Ugochukwu; All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Governorship candidate, Uzodinma Okpara, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

During proceedings, the Appeal Court declined to consolidate the various cases, contrary to the request of Orji and his Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA).

This implies that judgment would be delivered on each appeal.

The main appellant is Orji, whose election was nullified by the tribunal on grounds of non-eligibility. The tribunal held that he failed to resign from the public service before vying for election and that he belonged to the Okija secret society.

Orji, who described the ruling as "a slight aberration," wants the Appeal Court to set it aside and declare him eligible to contest the ballot on April 14, 2007 and that he was duly elected.

Ugochukwu, whom the tribunal declared Governor-elect, is not entirely pleased by the judgment.

He appealed the ruling that he did not prove that he scored the majority of lawful votes.

Okpara, progeny of former Eastern Nigeria Premier, pleaded for a fresh election at the Appeal Court, citing irregularities, violence, and substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act.

Should his appeal succeed, all the other cases would be reduced to academic exercises, as a rerun election would be in the offing.

That would effectively nullify Orji's mandate and Ugochukwu's victory at the tribunal.

The INEC is aligned with Orji in challenging the tribunal's decision on his eligibility.

Of all the parties at the Appeal Court, Orji has the greatest stake. He is struggling not only to retain his job, but also to regain it.

His right to contest an election remains an issue on which a pronouncement must be made, however the pendulum swings.

The police have mobilised about 1,000 officers to deal with anyone fomenting trouble before or after the verdict.