… Wants INEC to issue Certificates of Return, conduct fresh election in 17 Assembly seats
In compliance with a Federal High Court judgment sacking the Ebonyi State governor, Engineer Dave Umahi and his deputy Kelechi Igwe, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has nominated Iduma Enwo Igariwey Fred Udeogu as replacement for the governor and deputy governor respectively.
Governor Umahi and his Deputy were sacked on account of their unlawful defection from the PDP to APC. The court declared their defection unlawful, unconstitutional, null and void and ordered them to immediately vacate their offices.
Justice Inyang Ekwo in a judgment on Tuesday ordered Umahi and his deputy to immediately stop holding themselves out as Governor and Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State.
The judge held that the votes that brought them to office belonged to the PDP and cannot hold on to the votes having elected to jettison the party that nominated them.
The judge held that the votes that brought them to office belonged to the PDP and cannot hold on to the votes having elected to jettison the party that nominated them.
In the same ruling, the court also sacked the 17 members of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly who also defected with the governor and his deputy into the APC.
Gov. Umahi, his deputy and the 17 lawmakers were elected on the PDP platform in 2015 and again in 2019, but defected to the APC on November 17, 2020, citing “injustice done to the South-East.”
However, the National Chairman of the PDP, Senator Iyorchia Ayu while announcing the replacement of both the governor and his deputy said, “First, we want to appreciate the Nigerian Judiciary for this landmark judgement. The ruling will bring order in the political space and check the issue of political rascality and stolen mandates. The judiciary is indeed the backbone of this democracy.
“We also want to single out Justice Inyang Ekwo for special recognition, particularly for being courageous and forthright in going for the substance of the law rather than the technicalities.
“And in line with the court order, PDP is immediately submitting to INEC the names of our candidates for Governor and Deputy Governor of Ebonyi state respectively.
“We are also calling on INEC to immediately issue the Certificates of Return to the PDP nominees as replacement for Messrs Umahi and Igwe pursuant to the Order of the Honourable Court.
“Furthermore, we call on the Chief Judge of Ebonyi state to immediately swear them in as soon as INEC issues the requisites Certificates of Return.
“And lastly, we call on INEC to immediately withdraw the Certificates of Return from the 17 lawmakers and commence the process of conducting bye-elections to replace them.”
