The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says it has submitted names of its nominees to replace the sacked Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi and his Deputy, Dr Eric Kelechi Igwe.
The National Chairman of the PDP, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, made the disclosure on Tuesday, during a world press conference at the party’s national headquarters in Abuja.
Senator Ayu revealed that the names of the nominees have been submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
He said that the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) had endorsed the names of nominees to be sworn in as Governor and Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State.
Meanwhile, the names of the nominees are yet to be made known, just as Ayu has maintained that “we are not going to release the names immediately. But the names will soon be made available to the press”.
It could be recall a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, sacked Governor Umahi of Ebonyi State and his Deputy, Dr Eric Kelechi Igwe, following their defection from the PDP to the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC).
How & Why Gov. Umahi, Deputy Were Sacked:
The court, in a judgement that was delivered by Justice Inyang Ekwo, held that the total number of 393, 042 votes governor Umahi secured during the March 9, 2019 governorship election in Ebonyi state, belonged to the PDP and same could not be legally transferred to the APC.
According to the court, having defected to the APC, both Umahi and his deputy, not only jettisoned the PDP, but also the votes that belonged to it.
It held that going by the outcome of the governorship election, the office of the governor and deputy governor in Ebonyi state, “belong to the Plaintiff and no other political party”.
“There is no constitutional provision that made the ballot transferrable from one party to the other”.
It held that the PDP is bound to retain the votes and mandate that was given to it by electorates in Ebonyi state, as both governor Umahi and his Deputy could not validly transfer same to APC.
The court, therefore, ordered both Umahi and Igwe to immediately vacate their positions.
It ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to immediately receive from the PDP, names of persons to replace Umahi and his Deputy, or in the alternative, conduct a fresh gubernatorial election in Ebonyi state in line with section 177(c) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
The court further restrained both Umahi and Igwe from further parading themselves as governor or deputy governor of Ebonyi state.
The judgement followed a suit the PDP lodged before the court.
16 Ebonyi Lawmakers Also Get Sack
Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a judgment, ordered the lawmakers to stop parading themselves as representatives of the people after dumping the party on which platform they were elected into the house of assembly.
Some of the lawmakers include Odefa Obasi Odefa, Victor Chukwu, Kingsley Ikoro, Joseph Ununu, Nkemka Okoro, among others.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Justice Ekwo had on Jan. 19 fixed Tuesday for the judgment in the suit filed by the PDP against the governor and his deputy. (NAN)
Umahi Continues To Boast ‘I Remain Ebonyi State Governor
Following the judgement of the Federal High Court sacking him from office, Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi has maintained that he still remains the incumbent governor of the state.
Umahi stated this in his office while briefing journalists in Abakaliki.
