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Umahi rejects Abuja court’s ruling, accuses Justice Ekwo of bias
The Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, has rejected the court’s ruling which ordered his removal from office.
Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, had earlier on Tuesday sacked Umahi and his deputy, Dr. Kelechi Igwe, over their defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He held that the votes that brought Umahi and his deputy to office belonged to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and therefore cannot remain in office having dumped the party that brought them to power
The judge said: “Having defected to the APC, the defendants not only jettisoned the PDP, the party which brought them to power, but also the votes that belonged to it.”
Umahi, who reacted to the ruling at a press conference in Abakaliki, accused Justice Ekwo of sabotaging his administration.
He said the judgment which sacked him from office was purchased.
The governor said: “Nobody can remove me as the governor of the state as we know where the judgement came from.
“Justice Ekwo has more than 10 cases against the state government and we will see where this leads him.
“We have petitioned Ekwo before the National Judicial Council (NJC) as his continued stay on the bench is a disaster for the country.
“People should not panic as I, the governor, is not distracted at all.”
READ ALSO: Court removes Umahi as Ebonyi gov, orders fresh guber election
He said the development would not affect his presidential ambition, noting that his legal team would appeal the judgement.
Umahi added: “The constitution stipulates that the only way a governor can be removed from office is through death, resignation or impeachment by the state House of Assembly.
“There is no constitutional provision that empowers a hatchet man to turn the constitution or law of the land on its head.
“The Supreme Court’s recent judgement on Zamfara among others attests to this fact as I remain the governor of the state.”
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