Appeal Court Suspends Judgment Sacking Alex Otti As LP Gov’ship Candidate

Kano division of Appeal Court has granted stay of execution on the recent judgement of a federal High Court in the state removing Abia State Governor-elect, Dr. Alex Otti as the duly elected candidate of the party in the March 18 governorship election in the state.

Ruling on an application brought by LP and Dr. Alex Otti, the Presiding Judge, Justice Ita Mbaba after listening to arguments by Otti’s counsels A.J Owonikoko, SAN and Ken Ahia, SAN, subsequently granted Dr. Otti’s application and leave to Appeal the judgment as an interested party, Ferdinand Ekeoma media aide to Dr. Otti said in a statement on Saturday.

He added, “Even though many legal experts have argued that the judgement was dead on arrival due to many flaws associated with it , however , to avoid mischief , Dr. Otti instructed his lawyers to appeal the judgment

“It would be recalled that the said judgement of the Federal High Court generated public outcry across the federation because of what was perceived as a legal ambush to illegally remove LP candidates, a development that excited the defeated Abia PDP and its members who resorted to celebration, however, the Abia Governor-Elect, Dr. Alex Otti who has remained lively and unperturbed called on Abians not to lose sleep over the judgment, assuring that the mandate given to him and his party by Abians was safe and secure.

“The ruling by the Court of Appeal has further removed any perceived hitch ahead of Otti’s inauguration as the Governor of Abia state on May 29th 2023.”