INEC explains delay in enforcing Court’s sack order on Umahi  

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday explained the commission’s delaying in enforcing or taking any action on the order of the Federal High Court, Abuja, that sacked Governor David Umahi and Deputy Governor Eric Igwe of Ebonyi State from office for defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC), with the mandate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

INEC in a statement by the National Commissioner, Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee,  Festus Okoye, indicated that the commission  has been monitoring the multiple litigation that trailed the judgment and does not want to rush into the decision of the court.

Okoye admitted that the enforcement would affect the order sacking 16 members of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly.

The National Commissioner, in the statement declared: “It will be recalled that the commission met on Thursday 17th March 2022 on the matter, decided to defer its deliberation on the Ebonyi cases, and stepped down the listed Memorandum to enable its Legal Services and Clearance Committee to study the new processes served on it in the light of the previously served ones and advise the commission comprehensively.

“Since then, the commission has been served yet more court processes on the same matter, bringing the total to 12,” he said.

“The commission deliberated extensively on these cases and decided to further suspend action on the defection of the Governor and Deputy-Governor of Ebonyi State and 16 members of the State House of Assembly from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the light of the conflicting judgements and orders served on it from courts of coordinate jurisdiction.

“The commission also considers it prudent to stay action on the conflicting judgements and orders being aware of the pendency of appeals and motions for stay of execution of some of the judgements before various divisions of the Court of Appeal.”

Meanwhile, Umahi lost the suit on stay of execution of the court at the Federal High Court, Abuja, which dismissed the suit.