From Chuks Onuoha, Umuahia
A five-man panel of the Court of Appeal, Owerri Division, hearing appeals on the tax forgery suit filed against Abia Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu has adjourned indefinitely.
This appeal was to determine a pending motion filed by Sir Friday Nwosu, which urged the Supreme Court to take over the matter or order the panel to expeditiously determine it. Ruling on the suit, Presiding Judge of the Court of Appeal, Owerri, Justice R.C. Agbo told parties in the suit that he had to adjourn the matter indefinitely until the motion filed by Nwosu was determined at the Supreme Court. The judge also adjourned two other appeals filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Ikpeazu, on the suit challenging some aspects of the July 8, 2016 verdict of the Federal High Court, Owerri.
It added that the appeals could not be heard since they emanated from the same judgment. Nwosu had filed a motion praying the Supreme Court to intervene under Sections 17 and 22 of the Supreme Court Act to consolidate and deliver judgment on all appeals lying at different courts on the Abia governorship tussle, insisting that it will serve the best interest of justice if Appeals Nos. SC/717/2016, SC/719/2016 and SC/739/2016, lying at the Supreme Court, are heard together with his appeal, CA/OW/190/2016 pending at the Court of Appeal, Owerri, to avoid rendering it an academic exercise.