After being declared the winner of the March 18, 2023, House of Assembly election by the Court of Appeal, Aaron Uzodike, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has once again pleaded with Abia State House of Assembly Speaker, Emmanuel Emereuwa, to officially inaugurate him as the representative for Aba North constituency.
Facing setbacks in his efforts to assume office, Uzodike, who secured victory on November 27, 2023, following a ruling by the Court of Appeal in Lagos that ousted Mr. Destiny Nwagwu of the Labour Party, LP, shared his frustrations with journalists in Umuahia. He urged Governor Alex Otti to ensure compliance with the law and expedite his inauguration, citing the lack of representation for his constituency over the past five months.
During the interview, Uzodike displayed his Certificate and Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment, expressing bewilderment at the delays in assuming his duties despite receiving a Certificate of Return from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on December 13, 2023.
He highlighted the dismissal of a case on March 19, 2024, by the Abia State High Court in Obehie, Ukwa LGA, which was initiated by his opponent, Destiny Nwagwu, who questioned the validity of Uzodike’s certificates.
Recounting a missed inauguration opportunity on January 18, 2024, Uzodike lamented the Speaker’s alleged reluctance to swear him in, claiming outside influence was behind the delay.
“There have been no legal impediments since November 27, 2023, and currently, there are no court orders hindering my inauguration,” he stated.
Refuting claims made by certain Aba traditional rulers suggesting his seat should be vacated due to alleged health issues, Uzodike denied any illness and accused some of the monarchs of being impostors hired to spread falsehoods.
“I was at the Abia State House of Assembly on April 16, 2024, ready to commence my duties, but the Speaker failed to act accordingly,” he expressed his disappointment.
Uzodike also dismissed rumors linking him to a party switch to the LP for the sake of securing his Aba North seat, clarifying that he remains a committed member of the PDP without any such agreements.