Former Governor Dave Umahi should obey the court ruling, vacate his seat – Hon. Igariwey

By Michael Agbaji

Member representing Afikpo North/Afikpo South Federal Constituency of Ebonyi State, Hon. Iduma Igariwey has urged the former governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi to obey Court ruling on his removal for defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Hon. Igariwey was nominated by the Peoples Democratic Party, to replace the sacked Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi.

CAPITAL POST recalled that the Federal High Court presided by Justice Inyang Ekwo in Abuja ruled on an ex-parte application which was filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), asked Engr David Umahi to vacate his seat as governor of Ebonyi State.

Hon. Iduma stated this on Thursday while speaking with journalists at the National Assembly in Abuja.

According to him, former Governor Umahi must get a stay of execution from the same court that sacked him and not from a court in Ebonyi State.

The Federal High Court in Abuja had, on Tuesday, sacked governor Dave Umahi, his deputy, Kelechi Igwe, along with 15 lawmakers in the state over their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The court also ordered the PDP to nominate candidates to fill the seats and ordered the Independent National Electoral Committee to issues certificates of returns accordingly.

Governor Dave Umahi was elected in 2015 and 2019 on the platform of the PDP before dumping the party in November 2021.

He attributed his defection to the party’s poor leadership and accused it of playing politics of bitterness and anger.

After the court judgement, the PDP named Hon.Iduma Igariwey and Fred Udogwu as governor and deputy governor-nominees, respectively.

Meanwhile, the Ebonyi State High Court in Abakaliki, the state capital, on February 28, dismissed a suit by a former senator, Sonni Ogbuoji, seeking the sack of governor Umahi and his deputy on account of their defection to the APC.

Governor Umahi rejected the latest judgement, describing the judge as a “hatchet man. ”

He has since appealed the judgement.

Addressing journalists, Hon. Igariwey argued that even though sections 240 to 241 give a party the right to appeal, it does not stop the other party from enjoying the fruit of judgement.

He asked governor Umahi to approach Mr Ekwo’s court to seek a stay of execution rather than insulting the judge.

“The Constitution, under sections 240 to 241 allow the party, Umahi in this case, to appeal at the court of Appeal, but that appeal does not stop the person who got a judgement from enjoying the fruit of his judgement.

“What Umahi would do if he wants to stay in that office is to obtain a stay of execution of the judgement. In the absence of the stay of execution, by a court of competent jurisdiction, we are not asking him to go to Abakaliki High Court and procure a stay of execution, that would not suffice in this situation.

“He needs to approach this same court that gave this judgement and say, stay this judgement while we pursue this matter at Appeal court. It is this court that will consider the merit of granting that stay of execution,”