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Yesterday, Speaker Emmanuel Emeruwa of the Abia State House Assembly took a bold step by inaugurating Aaron Uzodike, the PDP’s candidate for Aba North State Constituency, as the rightful winner of the March 18, 2023 election.
This decision overturned the previous results, which had declared Destiny Nwagwu of the Labour Party the winner, and marked a significant turning point in the state’s political trajectory.
After months of controversy, Speaker Emmanuel Emeruwa of the Abia State House Assembly relented and sworn in Aaron Uzodike, the PDP candidate for Aba North State Constituency, as the rightful winner of the March 18, 2023 election.
This move came despite Emeruwa’s earlier refusal to comply with a court order issued on November 27, 2023, citing an alleged directive from “above” to stall the process.
Speaker Emmanuel Emeruwa had previously justified his refusal to swear in Aaron Uzodike by arguing that the Appeal Court’s ruling did not explicitly mandate Uzodike’s inauguration.
He also cited ongoing litigation between Uzodike and his rival, Destiny Nwagwu, as a reason for his delay, effectively putting Uzodike’s political fate on hold.
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Speaker Emeruwa had adopted a wait-and-see approach, delaying Uzodike’s inauguration until the various lawsuits related to the matter were resolved. However, it remains unclear whether these legal challenges were fully settled before Emeruwa finally swore in Uzodike yesterday.
In a statement, the Abia State PDP, through its spokesman and Acting Vice Chairman, Abraham Amah, extended warm congratulations to both Speaker Emeruwa and the newly inaugurated Uzodike, welcoming the development as a positive step forward.
He stated: “We commend the Speaker of the Abia House of Assembly for waking up from slumber and demonstrating obedience and adherence to the rule of law. This action strengthens our democratic processes and reinforces our constituents’ confidence in our institutions’ integrity.
“Uzodike’s inauguration after several months of delay represents a significant milestone in our democracy’s journey to perfection.”
Urging the Speaker to urgently release all entitlements due to or owed Uzodike for the past 15 months, the state PDP said that addressing this matter promptly would enable him (Uzodike) to execute his duties effectively and fulfill the promises he made to the people he represents.
“We also congratulate all members of the PDP caucus of the Abia Assembly, led by Solomon Akpulonu, for their unwavering commitment toward achieving this milestone, as your collective efforts have brought us to this day, and they do not go unnoticed.”
