Politics
Appeal Court reverses sacking of Ebonyi gov, Umahi, deputy for dumping PDP
The Court of Appeal, Abuja on Friday reversed a ruling of the Federal High Court also in Abuja which had sacked the governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi and his deputy, for defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The High Court had sacked both politicians from their positions on March 8.
The High Court had sacked both politicians from their positions following a lawsuit filed against the duo by the opposition party.
The PDP had asked the court to make a declaration that the governor and his deputy should resign having defected the party.
Justice Inyang Ekwo, who delivered the judgement, said the votes polled by Umahi in the 2019 governorship election belonged to the PDP and were untransferable.
Read also:Umahi leads Ayade, Ikpeazu on visit to woo Wike to APC
However, in a ruling by a three-member panel of the appellate court, the sacking by the lower court was reversed.
Justice Haruna Tsanami, who read the judgement, stressed that the defection of the governor as well as his deputy to the APC was not constitutionally aberrant.
Haruna maintained that party aggrieved by the defection should seek constitutional means of dealing with defectors.
This judgement was in consonant with an earlier decision on the same issue given by the division of the court in Enugu.
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