By Ahamefula Nnanya
Violence has erupted in major cities of Abia State over the new year eve Court of Appeal judgement excluding the majority Ngwa people in the state from having a say in the governorship contest in Abia State.
Ngwa youths and women early this morning pour out in their thousands into the streets of major cities and towns in Abia State chanting war songs and brandishing machetes in opposition to the judgement of the Court of Appeal panel sitting in Owerri sacking Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of the Peoples Democratic Party, the winner of the 2015 governorship election in the state.
The Court of Appeal had on 31 December, 2015 nullified Governor Ikpeazu's election and returned Dr. Alex Otti of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA as having won the election.
In arriving at the decision, the court voided and excluded votes from Obingwa, Osisiomangwa and Isialangwa Local Government Areas, Ngwa areas and Ikpeazu homeland and stronghold and foreclosed any rerun in the area.
The implications of the Court of Appeal decision effectively reduced the majority Ngwa people who has 9 local government areas out of the 17 to 6 and thus a minority and paving the way for the APGA candidate to win. A decision considered curious by many observers.
Commercial activities and vehicular movement was reduced to the barest minimum with shops and businesses remaining closed either out of fear or in solidarity with the protesters.
Security agents appeared overwhelmed by the sheer number of the protest and apparently helpless under the prevailing circumstances.
Details and analysis shortly.
More images below.
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