PDP will chase Umahi to Supreme Court to reclaim mandate – Wike

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has asserted that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will follow up the legal suit to reclaim its mandate from Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State up to the Supreme Court over his defection to the All Progressives Congress. He maintained that the PDP would stop at nothing to reclaim the Ebonyi governorship mandate after the defection of Umahi without surrendering the PDP victory.

Governor Wike maintained that the initial statements of Governor Umahi to disparage and harass the judiciary, will not intimidate the PDP to drop the legal battle. He promised to support the PDP to fight it out to the Supreme Court. He cautioned that everyone must be careful, and desist from harassing the judiciary.

Governor Wike, commissioning the reconstructed 3.4km eastern bypass in Port Harcourt declared: “Nobody has gone to court to seek interpretation of a Governor who has defected from one party to the other.

“This is the first time. And so, it looks new to people and they ask whether you can remove a Governor.

“It is better for the court to make a pronouncement. Everybody will have to be careful.

“You give somebody an umbrella and the next day he defects. EFCC will come, he will say let me join them so EFCC will not go against me. You carry the vote of another party and join another party. Can you transfer votes? If you are defecting, leave the seat.

“And this will checkmate most of these political harlots who will never sit one place, looking for excuses here and there.

“Governor Umahi, be rest assured that PDP will continue this matter down to Supreme Court.”

A Federal High Court in Abuja last week nullified the defection of Umahi to the APC with the PDP mandate, declaring the defection illegal and unconstitutional. The court ordered Umahi to vacate his seat, while the PDP should nominate replacement. The court further sacked the deputy governor and 17 members of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly who defected with Umahi from the PDP to APC.