- The claim that former Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia has been sentenced to death was fact-checked
- A social media post made the claim on Facebook and X, and it has been shared by several people on their platforms
- Ikpeazu was the governor of Abia state between 2015 and 2023 and lost his senatorial election in the 2023 general election
A social media post has claimed that the former governor of Abia, Okezie Ikpeazu, has been handed a death sentence over the allegation of the diversion of public funds worth N1 trillion.
The social media post claimed that investigators traced the funds to the former governor’s foreign account in Australia. Also, it was alleged that the money was originally meant for the construction of Abia International Airport and the light rail project in the state.
According to the post, one “Justice Chukwuemeka Nwogu” handed the judgment to the former governor, and he was alleged to have said that the available evidence against Ikpeazu was “overwhelming”, considering the action as a strong betrayal that required “the highest penalty.”
Claims Ikpeazu under security watch
The post further claimed that the former governor has been under heavy security and that efforts are underway to recover the funds allegedly stolen. The claim has been widely circulated on social media platforms, including Facebook and X.
However, in a report by The Cable, section 98 of the Criminal Code Act was reviewed, and it was discovered that though corruption by public office holders attracts imprisonment, capital punishment is not prescribed in the Nigerian constitution.
Also, further research on the website of the Abia State Judiciary did not have the record of any Justice Chukwuemeka Nwogu on the bench.
In addition, the conviction was never reported by any credible media. Considering the profile of Ikpeazu as a former governor, such a ruling would have been widely reported in local and international media.
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Ikpeazu’s commissioner speaks on death sentence claim
Also, the former commissioner for trade and investment in Abia during Ikpeazu’s administration, John Kalu, was contacted on the report, and he dismissed the claim. He maintained that the former governor did not have any criminal records anywhere in the world.
Ikpeazu, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, was the governor of Abia state between 2015 and 2023. He lost his senatorial election in the 2023 election and lost the state to the Labour Party in the 2023 election. He has been seen at some political events since leaving office, and there are indications of him working to contest in the 2027 election.
Source: UGC
PDP demands accountability from Abia governor
In a similar story, Legit.ng reported that the People Democratic Party (PDP) strongly demanded accountability, accusing the incumbent state government of secrecy in the cost of projects and the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
The party said while Governor Otti, as an opposition leader, fiercely and consistently criticised the former administration of Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, he has now, as governor, become increasingly intolerant of dissent.
PDP Publicity Secretary, Mazi Eric Ikwuagwu, noted that the administration has come under intense public scrutiny, “as respected voices once aligned with the current government now raise alarm over alleged financial mismanagement.”
