EBONYI: INEC Speaks On Court Sacking Gov. Dave Umahi | READ DETAILS
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has said it would take action against the sacked Ebonyi State governor, David Umahi, when it receives official documents from the court.
“The Commission has not been served with a copy of the said judgment. The Commission will meet and take a decision when it is served with a Certified True Copy of the judgment,” Festus Okoye, INEC commissioner said in a reaction.
Umahi on Tuesday was removed as the state governor by Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The court had sacked Umahi and his Deputy, Dr. Eric Igwe, following their defection from the PDP to the APC. According to the court, Umahi forfeited his governorship position when he defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to join the ruling All Progressives Congress last year.
Justice Inyang Ekwo in his ruling, held that the total number of 393,042 votes governor Umahi secured during the March 9, 2019 governorship election in Ebonyi state, belonged to the PDP and same could not be legally transferred to the APC.
According to the court verdict, having defected to the APC, both Umahi and his deputy, not only jettisoned the PDP, but also the votes that belonged to it.
It held that going by the outcome of the governorship election, the office of the governor and deputy governor in Ebonyi state, “belong to the Plaintiff and no other political party.”
Umahi, however has insisted he remains in charge of the state despite the ruling by the Court. He described the ruling as “jungle justice that was purchased”, noting that the ruling was not a good development for the Judiciary.
He added that the party has the National Judicial Council over the judge’s conduct.
