Justice Inyang Ekwo of an Abuja Federal High Court had sacked Umahi as governor of Ebonyi State and his Deputy, Dr. Kelechi Igwe from office. The judge sacked Umahi and his Deputy over their unlawful defection from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the All Progressives Congress (APC). He ruled that the governor and his Deputy’s defection was unlawful, unconstitutional, null, and void.
The judge ordered them to vacate their offices immediately. Ekwo held that the vote that brought the governor and his Deputy into office belonged to the PDP and that they cannot hold onto the votes having elected to jettison the party that nominated them. But Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State has rejected the ruling of an Abuja Federal High Court which sacked him from office. Umahi maintained that he is still the governor of the state despite the court ruling. The governor said the ruling would be disregarded by his followers. Addressing journalists in his office in Abakaliki, Governor Umahi described the ruling as “jungle justice that was purchased.” The governor insisted that such ruling was not a good development for the Judiciary.
