The Abia State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Prof Gregory Ibe, has rejected Wednesday's Court of Appeal judgment which sustained the nullification of May 29, 2022, Abia State APGA governorship primary won by him.
Justice Binta Nyako of the Abuja High Court had earlier nullified the primary following a motion by one of the aspirants, Sir Chikwe Udensi.
Reacting to the Abuja Court of Appeal ruling which sustained the nullification of the primary due to alleged irregularities, Prof Ibe, faulted the position of the judges which he said was very strange in law.
He expressed shock that the Appellate court decided on its own to grant prayers not pleaded by the plaintiff, describing it as a travesty of justice.
Professor Ibe said that he had already instructed his lawyers to "immediately commence cross-appeal proceedings at the supreme court."
"Today I received with utter dissatisfaction the outcome of the Abuja Court of Appeal matter between Sir Chikwe Udensi and me.
"According to information available to me, the judges denied Sir Udensi his twin prayers of either being declared governorship candidate of our party or ordering a rerun of the primary election.
"Then in a manner tantamount to playing Father Christmas, the court surprisingly erred by granting a request that was not pleaded by declaring that our party, APGA should not present any candidate during the governorship election of 11 March 2023.
"This is not only a strange ruling but one that is preposterous and totally unjustifiable. I hereby reject the judgment in its entirety and subsequently announce my decision to seek redress at the apex court. Already my lawyers have been briefed to immediately commence cross-appeal proceedings at the supreme court in order to upturn the unfair judgment".
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Professor Ibe alleged that anti-democratic forces holding Abia State down were desperate to stop him from liberating the people, but vowed not to be deterred by their antics.
"There is no doubt that this latest antic is the height of the desperate machinations of enemies of Abia who do not want someone of my pedigree to mount the saddle and offer the people a better life.
"Unfortunately for them, their fruitless arrows of attack only make me stronger and more determined to fight for the ultimate liberation of our people from the captivity of backwardness and underdevelopment.
Asserting that nature abhors a vacuum, Professor Ibe stated that he remained the governorship candidate of APGA in Abia state until otherwise determined by the Supreme Court.
He, therefore, enjoined the people of the state, especially his numerous supporters to remain calm while sustaining their solidarity for his candidacy.
"I, therefore, enjoin Abians to remain undeterred by the desperate efforts of mischief makers in their bid to truncate the march to a new Abia, but to sustain their desire for positive change in the state as represented by my candidacy since I still remain the flag bearer of APGA until the Supreme Court determines otherwise".
