Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi has appealed the Federal High Court judgement which ordered the removal of him and his deputy, Eric Kelechi Igwe, from office.
Umahi and his deputy were on Tuesday sacked on the grounds of their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress.
Read Also: Court Sacks Umahi, Deputy Over Defection To APC
According to a notice appeal filed in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/920/2021 on Wednesday and obtained by Channels Television, Umahi, and his deputy stated that the Federal High Court erred in his ruling and they, therefore, disagreed with the entire judgment which ordered their sack for defecting to All Progressive Congress (APC) from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
They listed eight grounds of appeal against the lower court’s judgment.
Read Also: Ebonyi Governor, David Umahi Defects From PDP To APC
In the appeal document, Umahi and his deputy argued that the trial court was virtually setting aside the Supreme Court’s decision in the case involving the Attorney General of the Federation and former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, to the effect that there is no constitutional provisions prohibiting president or vice and invariably the governor and or deputy governor from defecting to another political party.
They averred that the trial court erred in law when it relied on sections 68 and 109 of the constitution in holding that, having defected from the PDP to the APC, he offended the provisions of the constitution and must vacate his office.
Read Also: Removal From Office: Ebonyi Gov, Dave Umahi Rejects Court Ruling
Umahi further submitted that there is no provision in the constitution that states that a governor or deputy governor will vacate his office if he defects from his political party to another political party.
They, therefore, asked the appellate court to set aside the judgement of the Federal High Court.
