Ebonyi: INEC Gives Update On Sack Of David Umahi As Governor

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it is unable to take a decision yet on the sack of David Umahi as the Ebonyi State Governor due to multiple court cases on the matter.

A statement on Thursday by the INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee of INEC, Festus Okoye said the electoral body had received about nine court orders on the matter and another one was served just as delibrations were about to begin on Thursday during its management meeting.

Okoye said based on the many court cases on the matter, INEC has decided to step down discussions on it and refer the case back to its Legal Services and Clearance Committee for action.

He also lamented that apart from the Ebonyi case, INEC has been joined in many court cases in the last three months.

“The commission was briefed by its Litigation and Prosecution Department, including an update on litigations, showing that in the last three months, the commission has been joined in 71 new cases in various courts across the country.

“Most of these cases, including the widely discussed one on Ebonyi State, involve either intra-party issues or litigants seeking for various reliefs from the courts that entail consequential orders that are binding on the commission,” Okoye said.

Particularly on Ebonyi State, Okoye added that INEC hopes to meet on the matter next week after which its stand will be made public.

He said, “It involves court cases 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).

“The commission has been served with nine separate Orders and Motions from various Courts on this matter.
“Just as the commission was about to commence deliberation on them, its attention was drawn to additional court processes served today in respect of the matter.”

Naija News recalls an Abuja federal high court presided over by Justice Inyang Ekwo had on March 8 sacked David Umahi, governor of Ebonyi, and Eric Igwe, his deputy, over their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The judge in his ruling held that the votes from the 2019 polls were for the PDP and could not be transferred to the All Progressives Congress (APC) upon the defection by Umahi and his deputy.

The Judge also sacked all state House of Assembly members who defected with them.

The Governor and his Deputy later obtained a stay of execution for the sack order.