A group sympathetic to the former Minister of State for Solid Minerals, Dr. Uche Ogah, who is laying claims to the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship ticket for the 2023 Abia State governorship election, has described as ‘half truth’, an opinion article written by Emeka Alex Duru, entitled: “Abia APC, judiciary and Emenike factor”, published in the Daily Sun of Friday, November 18, 2023. The group accused Mr. Duru of quickly citing the judgement of the Abia State High Court delivered by Justice Benson Anya on June 24, and the rulings of the two Courts of Appeal, but willfully shied away from the truth being that “Dr Uche Ogah was never a party to any of the suits, and, therefore, is not affected by the said judgments and rulings.”
If wondered why Emenike and his legal team did not present the judgements before Justice Binta Nyako if they affected Ogah.
“At no time throughout the proceedings of the case did they bring up the matter before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja because they knew that it would be an effort in futility to do so.
“Emeka Duru failed to include the substance of the matter, which is that before the primaries, the NWC of the party made it expressly clear that Abia, alongside two other states, should conduct the direct mode of primary, which Dr. Uche Ogah did. But Ikechi Emenike, who has a penchant for disobeying directives, went to one motor park in Umuahia to conduct indirect primaries that gave him a worthless ticket.
“Emeka Duru also failed to mention that INEC refused to monitor Ikechi Emenike’s primary because of the illegality surrounding it, which made nonsense of whatever exercise that was carried out at that motor park.
“It is laughable that Emeka Duru said that the ‘leadership’ of the APC has rejected Dr Uche Ogah. Who are these so-called leaders? Any leader without followers is only taking a walk. Emeka Alex Duru should have seen the mammoth crowds that heralded Dr. Uche Ogah’s reception on Wednesday and the tumultuous ovation and accolades that greeted his arrival right from the airport. This underscores how much the people yearn for Dr Uche Ogah.
“Emeka Duru should have it at the back of his mind that the days of gullibility are gone in Abia State. Abians are much wiser now. Therefore, alluding that Ikechi Emenike is still the APC governorship candidate in Abia State amounts to either wishful thinking or factual haemorrhage.
“No judgement can be sounder than Justice Binta Nyako’s well-made verdict of November 11, which upheld Dr. Uche Ogah’s candidacy and invalidated Ikechi Emenike’s false claims to the governorship ticket of the APC in Abia State.
“Dr Uchechukwu Ogah’s candidacy is a settled issue. He is set to win the governorship election. Ikechi Emenike should swallow his pride and accept defeat.”