Court ruling: Umahi explains why he remains governor of Ebonyi state

Governor of Ebonyi state, Dave Umahi says he remains the governor of the state despite the ruling of an Abuja Federal High Court on Tuesday which sacked him and his deputy, Dr. Eric Kelechi Igwe.

It would be recalled that the Judge had based his judgement on Umahi’s defection to the All Progressives Congress from the Peoples Democratic Party on whose platform he had won the election in 2019.

He ruled that the governor and his Deputy’s defection was unlawful, unconstitutional, null, and void, and therefore ordered them to vacate their offices immediately.

The Governor, who described the Justice Inyang Ekwo judgement as a jungle justice, said he has forwarded a petition against the Judge to the Nigerian Judicial Council (NJC).

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The governor insisted that such a ruling was not a good development for the Judiciary.

He noted the Court lacks the powers to remove him as Governor as he is covered by an immunity clause which protects him from any form of litigation that is not pre-election and tribunal matters.

Umahi also noted that there are two other similar cases on defection of a Governor by an Ebonyi High Court and another in Zamfara which ruled in favour of the Governor.

He said: “The Constitution stipulates that the only way whereby a Governor can vacate his seat is either by death, resignation or impeachment by the House of Assembly.

“There is no other provision that empowers a hatchet man to turn the constitution upside down. I have listened to the judgement of Ekwo and it is very obvious that he was on a mission. He was making all efforts to overturn the rulings of the Appeal and Supreme courts on issues like this.

“We have heard the rumors before now that he was determined to give judgement against all known laws and the constitution to embarrass the APC and the Federal government”.

“I want you to disregard the judgement, it is null and void there is a subsisting judgement in Ebonyi and Zamfara states. So we have chosen the one to obey, we will not obey his ruling, we will obey the ruling of a competent court of coordinate jurisdiction that says you cannot sue a Governor.