Abia State governor , Dr Okezie Ikpeazu has called on Abians to remain clam over the judgment of Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja delivered today in favor of Dr. Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah against him, in the case of alleged falsification of tax receipts.
Justice had earlier today disqualified Ikpeazu and ordered the INEC to withdraw his certificate of return and give same to Ogah who claimed to have emerged runner up in the PDP primaries.
He noted as an appointee of the Abia State Government from 2011 to 2014, when he served as the General Manager, Abia State Passengers Integrated Manifest and Safety Scheme (ASPIMSS), and Deputy General Manager, Abia State Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA) Aba and environs respectively, from where he resigned in October 2014 to contest the Governorship election in the state.
He stated within the period his taxes were deducted at source, and when he had need of his tax clearance in 2014, he applied to the Abia State Board of Internal Revenue, and was duly issued with his tax receipts for the period in question.
Ikpeazu maintained that he remains the governor of the state according to law and will await the final determination of the matter by the appellate courts.
This judgement is weak at its first value. the judge overreached
his boundary. He did not recognize the fact that Board of Internal Revenue is sole in charge of collecting and issuing tax clearance
in Nigeria. If there is an error in the reported income of governor
Okezie Ikpeazu, the Board of Internal Revenue in Abia state should correct the error and give Governor Ikpeazu bill including the penalty and interest, thereon.
My people, i think, the judge is in error in this judgement.