Three different rulings will be delivered today with respect to the on-going tussle for the governorship seat of Abia State.

At the centre of the court cases is the present occupant of the seat, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu. All the cases centre on the propriety or otherwise of Ikpeazu’s tax papers.

While a fresh ruling will be delivered by a Federal High Court sitting in Owerri, in a suit brought by a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant and Ikpeazu's kinsman, Barr. Friday Nwosu, challenging the eligibility of Ikpeazu to stand for the 2015 governorship elections, two new rulings will be delivered in Abuja by Justice Okon Abang who, in his ruling on a case brought against Ikpeazu by Dr. Uche Ogah, sacked Ikpeazu from office and awarded Ogah the governorship seat.

Today Abang will deliver a ruling on the application by Ikpeazu asking for a stay of execution of the first judgment ordering him to vacate office, pending the determination of his appeal.

Abang will equally deliver another ruling on the application brought by Ogah asking him to vacate the Osisioma High Court injunction restraining the Abia Chief judge or any order legal officer from swearing him in as governor of Abia State.

Justice Abang’s ruling on the application by Ikpeazu will determine whether he (Ikpeazu) would remain in office to pursue his case in the appeal court or not, while a favourable outcome of the Owerri court ruling would embolden the embattled governor. If the ruling goes for Nwosu, Nigeria would have another constitutional issue to thrash out.

It would be recalled that Ikpeazu’s successor, Chief Theodore Orji, scaled through 21 election-related court and tribunal cases and emerged a winner. Will Ikpeazu be that lucky?

•Photo shows Governor Ikpeazu.

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