THE Certificate of Return issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission to Uche Ogah as the Governor of Abia State has been described as invalid.



Ogah, after his declaration by a Federal High Court in Abuja as having been validly elected, was issued a Certificate of Return by INEC.

However, an informed source said the certificate cannot be valid based on the date on which the election that produced him was held.

According to the source, the election that produced a governor in Abia State in 2015 was the supplementary election of April 25, 2015 and not the April 11 election, which INEC declared inconclusive.

Ogah’s Certificate of Return said he emerged governor based on the election of April 11.

The source said: “Recall that INEC declared the April 11 governorship election in Abia State inconclusive despite the fact that Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of the Peoples Democratic Party was leading Dr. Alex Otti of the All Progressives Grand Alliance with a wide margin.

“INEC called for a supplementary election in about eight canceled LGAs in the state on April 25, which Ikpeazu also won and was declared winner.

“And INEC issued him with a Certificate of Return as winner of the election after the supplementary election.

“So what Ogah has is an invalid document that can’t make him governor.

“He can’t lay claim to the governorship of Abia State on the basis of an inconclusive election.”