Governor David Umahi has rejected the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja that declared his seat and that of his Deputy, Eric Kelechi Igwe, vacant.
The Governor said Justice Inyang Ekwo lacks the power to remove him from office and has put the judiciary on trial, adding that the ruling is “null and void”.
Recall that on Tuesday, a federal high court sitting in Abuja ordered the removal of Umahi and his deputy over their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to All Progressives Congress (APC).
Read Also: Court Sacks Umahi, Deputy Over Defection To APC
PDP had approached the court, asking for Umahi’s removal after he defected from the party to APC in November 2020.
Citing section 221 of the constitution, Justice Inyang Ekwo ordered PDP to immediately send names of replacements to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) so that fresh elections can be conducted.
Read Also: Ebonyi Governor, David Umahi Defects From PDP To APC
Justice Ekwo also ordered INEC to cease from recognising Umahi and Igwe as the governor and deputy governor of the Ebonyi State.
Delivering judgement in the case, the presiding judge, Justice ordered the governor and his deputy to vacate office, adding that their defection was illegal, null and unconstitutional.
However, Umahi described the judgement as a “sham”, accusing Inyang Ekwo of doing a “hatchet job”.
“Nobody can remove me as the governor of the state as we know where the judgement came from,” NAN quoted him as saying.
He expressed;
Justice Ekwo has more than 10 cases against the state government and we will see where this leads him. We have petitioned Ekwo before the National Judicial Council (NJC) as his continued stay on the bench is a disaster for the country. People should not panic as I, the governor, am not distracted at all.
Umahi added;
The constitution stipulates that the only way a governor can be removed from office is through death, resignation or impeachment by the state house of assembly. There is no constitutional provision that empowers a hatchet man to turn the constitution or law of the land on its head. The supreme court’s recent judgement on Zamfara, among others, attests to this fact as I remain the governor of the state.
