Uncertainty seems to prevail in Ebonyi State as Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has nominated Iduma Enwo Igariwey as a replacement for Governor David Umahi, and Mr Fred Udeogu as Deputy Governor even as the embattled governor insisted that he cannot be removed.

The nomination came hours after a Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi and his Deputy, Eric Igwe, to vacate their seats as Governor and Deputy respectively, on grounds that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won the election on March 2019 and not the candidates.

The governor and his deputy had been elected into office in the 2015 and 2019 general elections on the platform of the PDP. However, they defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2020.

Consequently, the PDP approached the court, asking for Umahi’s removal.

Delivering judgment on the matter on Tuesday, Justice Inyang Ekwo held that having defected to the APC, Governor Umahi, and his deputy cannot transfer the mandate of the PDP to their current party, the APC.

He described their defection as illegal, null and unconstitutional.

Citing section 221 of the constitution, Justice Ekwo, therefore, ordered the PDP to immediately send names of replacements to INEC so that fresh elections can be conducted.

Justice Ekwo also ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to cease from recognising Umahi and Igwe as the Governor and Deputy Governor of the Ebonyi State.

Reacting to the judgment, Governor Umahi said Justice Ekwo lacked the power to remove him from office.

Court Sacks Speaker Of Ebonyi Assembly, Other Defectors

Meanwhile, Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday also ordered the Speaker of the Ebonyi House of Assembly and other lawmakers who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to immediately stop holding themselves out as members of the Assembly.

Justice Ekwo, in a separate judgement, had also sacked Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi and his deputy, Eric Igwe, for defecting from the PDP.

The Judge held that the votes that brought them to office belonged to the PDP and that the legislators cannot hold on to the votes having chosen to defect from the party that nominated them.

Justice Ekwo also held that the votes cast for PDP in the 2019 election are not transferrable to the APC.

He restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognizing or according any recognition to them as elected members of the House of Assembly.

Justice Ekwo further ordered that all monies collected from the period of their defection to the judgment date must be recovered from them.

Source: StreetReporters.ng

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