Just In: Court Sacks Gov Umahi, Deputy And Imo State APC Law Makers Over Defection to APC
Hush Gist
March 8, 2022
Justice Inyang Ekwo has in a Court sitting at the Federal High Court Abuja, on Tuesday 08 March 2022, sacked Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State and his Deputy, Dr Eric Kelechi Igwe, following their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP to All Progressive Congress, APC.
Consequently, following this judgement, the Speaker and other lawmakers who dumped the Peoples Democratic Party in 2020 following the defection of the state Governor, David Umahi to the All Progressives Congress are all to vacate their seats.
The court, in it’s judgement held that the total number of 393, 042 votes that was secured by Governor Umahi during the March 9, 2019 governorship election in Ebonyi state, belonged to the PDP and same could not be legally transferred to the APC and as such, the office of the governor and the deputy governor in Ebonyi state, “belong to the Plaintiff and no other political party”.
In it’s submission, the court has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to immediately receive from the PDP, names of persons to replace Umahi and his Deputy from the People’s Democratic Party, PDP or conduct a fresh gubernatorial election in Ebonyi state in line with section 177(c) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
