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From Chijioke Agwu, Abakaliki, Godwin Tsa, Abuja and Ben Dunno, Warri
Applause and protest have trailed a Federal High Court ruling which sacked Governor David Umahi, his deputy, Kelechi Igwe, and 16 lawmakers over their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Federal High Court in Abuja presided over by Justice Ekwor Iyang had, in the ruling, yesterday, declared that the office of Ebonyi State governor and that of the deputy belonged to the Peoples Democratic party (PDP), the platform on which Umahi and his deputy came to office and not the APC.
The judge, in the ruling therefore, directed that Umahi and his deputy should vacate their offices immediately and the PDP allowed to nominate their replacements.
But Umahi has described the judgment as null and void and of no effect, stressing that he remained the governor.
Addressing newsmen in his office in Abakaliki, Umahi said he would not obey the judgment which he claimed contravened some critical stipulations of the 1999 Constitution on how to remove a serving governor or his deputy from office.
He further accused Justice Iyang of corruption and bias, alleging that he was influenced to deliver the judgement against him.
“I am still the governor of Ebonyi State and there is no tension at all. In the first place, there is no constitutional provision for any hatchet man to remove a governor. There are three ways whereby a governor can vacate his office: it’s either by death, resignation and impeachment. There is no other constitutional provision that empowers a hatchet man to turn the constitution upside down.
“I have listened to the judgment of Inyang and it’s very obvious that he was on a mission. He was making effort to upturn the rulings of the Appeal and Supreme courts, on issues like this. We have heard the rumours before now that he was determined to give judgment against all known laws and the constitution, first to embarrass the APC, and to equally embarrass the Federal Government.
“For me, I do not feel worried. But, I feel so bad for the judiciary in Nigeria. The executive may have problems; the legislature may have problems but the moment justice could be purchased, then we are in trouble in Nigeria. It’s obvious the ruling this afternoon is a clear evidence this country is in trouble. And let me tell you, this same judge has over 10 cases against the Ebonyi State government with him. And you can imagine what he is going to rule.
“We have petitioned him to National Judicial Council and we will follow it up to the end to ensure this man (Inyang) is brought to justice. I want you to disregard the judgment because it’s null and void. There is a subsisting judgment in Zamafara State and also in Ebonyi State. So, we have chosen the one to obey; we will not obey his ruling.”
However, former commissioner for Information and Orientation and PDP chieftain in the state, Abia Onyike, described the judgment as one of the greatest legal pronouncements in Nigeria political history.
He said: “It will expose Umahi as a political upstart and lawless character whose days in office are numbered. Whether he appeals or not, this ruling has reduced him to size. He is an anarchist and a bully. Why did he decamp when there was no leadership crisis in PDP? Because he was running away from EFCC’s inquisition on account of his horrible atrocities in office. The time of reckoning has come. Ebonyians must recover from the evil government of Umahi and his retrogressive cabal.”
But APC Chairman in the state, Stanley Okoro-Emegha, said Inyang erred in his judgment which he described as an abuse of the 1999 Constitution.
He accused Iyang of acting the script of political detractors who were out to embarrass the governor and his deputy in order to achieve cheap political points.
He, however, called on APC members as well as the governor’s supporters to remain calm and law-abiding, adding that the judgment would surely be appealed.
“The judgment was clearly biased and it’s unacceptable. Already, there is a judgment from a High Court in Abakaliki and also in Zamfara State which said a governor and his deputy cannot be removed from office on account of their defection to another party. However, there is no need for panic as the judgment will surely be appealed. All APC members and the governor supporters are advised to remain calm and law-abiding.”
In his reaction, former information minister, Sam Oyovbaire, applauded the court’s judgment, describing it as courageous and excellent pronouncements intended to correct a major anomaly in the political space.
He, however, said Governor Umahi’s reaction to petition the presiding judge before the CJN and NJC was an unwarranted threat, stating that the best option for him would have been to appeal the judgment even as far as the Supreme Court.
Oyovbaire, who is a BoT member of PDP, in an interview with the Daily Sun in Warri, yesterday, said the judge based his decision on the fact that it was PDP that was on the ballot boxes when the election was conducted and not an individual and, as such, it was the party that was voted into office.
