‘Electoral mandates belong to parties, not candidates,’ Falana backs court’s ruling on Umahi

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, on Wednesday declared his support for the Federal High Court, Abuja, ruling ordering the Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, to vacate office following his defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Justice Inyang Ekwo had last week sacked Umahi, his deputy, Eric Igwe and 15 members of the the Ebonyi State House of Assembly for switching to the ruling party in November 2020.

Falana, who reacted to the ruling in a statement, said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) issued certificates of return to Umahi and his deputy based on the votes accrued to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which makes the court’s judgement a fair one in the interest of the country’s democracy.

He stressed that under the 1999 Constitution, electoral mandates belong to the parties and not the candidates.

READ ALSO: APC governors behind Buhari’s reluctance to sign Electoral Bill – Falana

The lawyer said: “Even though Governor Umahi has decamped from the PDP to APC neither the INEC nor the High Court of Ebonyi State has amended the Certificate of Return to read ‘Nweze David Umahi of the All Progressive Congress.’

“Furthermore , in view of the several provisions of the Constitution and the Electoral Act which have provided for participatory democracy on the basis of majoritarian rule, the defection of Governor Umahi cannot wipe out the 393, 343 lawful votes scored by the PDP in Ebonyi State.

“You cannot get a mandate from the people who voted for a party and transfer it to another whenever you wish without legal consequences. That is not just.

“It is our wish that the Supreme Court would uphold this sound judgment and bring an end to the annoying and irresponsible political prostitution in Nigeria that is not helping the growth of our democracy.”

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