Gov Otti, Abia House of Assembly Speaker ‘Refuse’ to Inaugurate PDP Member-Elect since 2023

Nearly one year after he was declared winner of the March 18 State Constituency election to represent the people of Aba North State Constituency at the Abia State House of Assembly, Mr. Aron Uzodike has not been sworn in by the Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Hon. Emmanuel Emereuwa.

Uzodike, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been left out in the rain even with the Certificate of Return issued to him by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Additionally, the Court of Appeal that sat in Lagos on November 27, 2023, also affirmed Uzodike as the winner of the March 18, 2023 election, and by that judgement removed Mr. Destiny Nwagwu of the Labour Party (LP), from office.

However, despite the Court of Appeal judgement, the Speaker of Abia State House of Assembly has refused to inaugurate him to represent his people.

Narrating his ordeal to journalists in a press conference in Umuahia over the weekend, Uzodike called on Governor Alex Otti to obey the law and allow him to be inaugurated to represent his people.

“From November 27, 2023 to November 18, 2023, there was no case stopping the Speaker from inaugurating me and presently, there is no court anywhere stopping my inauguration.”

“On 16th April, 2024, I presented myself to the Abia State House of Assembly ready to do my work healthy and fit but the Speaker did not do the needful,” he lamented

There has been alleged series of subterfuge efforts to frustrate Uzodike from being inaugurated including a sponsored fake news carried by traditional rulers in Aba stating that Uzodike “was sick” and unable to present himself for inauguration.

Uzodike has since dispelled the rumours as handiwork of his political enemies who will stop at nothing to stop him from representing his people.