In what looked like a reenactment of the Aba women’s riot of 1929, thousands of Abia women today in Aba joined in protesting the Appeal court judgment that nullified the election of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu.
Adorned in all black attire, the angry placard carrying women who were later joined by their men folk and youths at some points marched through major roads in Aba metropolis chanting solidarity and pro Okezie Ikpeazu songs and vowed not to sit by and watch their mandate taken away from them.
Speaking through their leaders at Abayi Umuocham primary school, Aba, the women described the Appeal court verdict that sacked Governor Ikpeazu as a rape of justice.
According to Mrs Uwaoma Olewengwa,Mrs Elizabeth Esochagh and lady Chinedu Brown who spoke for the women the judgment was a defilement of fairness and equity, adding that they sensed conspiracy when four out of five judges that handled the case came from the same judicial zone.
They pointed out that by cancelling the results of Osisioma, Obingwa and Isiala Ngwa North LGAs, Ukwa Ngwa people including the Governor himself have been disenfranchised and called on the supreme court to upturn the verdict of the Appeal court.
Also speaking at the Aba town hall where the peaceful protest terminated, the commissioner for Works, Hon Eziuche Ubani said that there is no vacancy at the Government House, pointing out that PDP lawyers have succeeded in securing an injunction at the supreme court this morning and called on Abians to remain calm.
Meanwhile, the Ukwa Ngwa leaders have vowed that the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Dr Alex Otti cannot come outside the ballot box to become governor of Abia state.
Rising from their meeting held at Osisioma, the group which spoke through their leader , Elder Emma Adaelu said they feel distressed, embarrassed and annoyed at the Appeal court judgment which he said was a total deprivation of the fundamental right of the Ukwa Ngwa people, describing it as a rape of justice.
The leaders deplored in unequivocal terms the verdict which according to them was kangaroo judgment and stated that the verdict disenfranchised over 300,000 Ukwa people.
He however expressed their confidence in the supreme court to revert the Appeal court verdict.
In their separate speeches, former senate president, Adolf Wabara and barr Chibuike Nwokoukwu stated that Abians will fight for justice as the verdict is a planned one ,arguing that if there was over voting the right thing to do was to return to the polls rather than cancelling the results of the strongholds of the people.
