Just in: Court sacks Governor Umahi, deputy over defection from PDP

A Federal High Court in Abuja has sacked Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State and his deputy, Eric Igwe, over defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Justice Inyang Ekwo in a judgement on Tuesday said their defection was unconstitutional.

The court 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 Peoples Democratic Party 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”.