In the case of Umahi, deputy, we have yet to receive a court decision- INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said on Tuesday that the certified True Copy of the Federal High Court order sacking Ebonyi State Governor Dave Umahi and his Deputy, Chief Kelechi Igwe, had not yet been served.

In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, Mr Festus Okoye, the INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, revealed this.

When the commission receives the certified true copy of the court judgment, Okoye said the commission would meet and make a decision.

“A copy of the said judgment has not been served on the Commission.”

“When the Commission is served with a Certified True Copy of the judgment, it will meet and make a decision,” Okoye said.

On Tuesday, a Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Inyang Ekwo, ordered Gov. Umahi to vacate office following his defection from the PDP to the APC (APC).

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In his ruling, Justice Ekwo also ordered Dr. Eric Igwe to stop posing as the state’s deputy governor.

The duo were deemed to have resigned from the office after defecting from the PDP, the platform on which they came to power, according to Justice Ekwo, and were thus no longer entitled to be referred to as governor and deputy governor.

The judge ruled that it was unconstitutional for a candidate elected on the platform of one political party to switch parties while still in office.

He claimed that the votes cast for Umahi and Igwe on March 9, 2019, were for the PDP, not the APC.

According to NAN, the PDP has submitted the names of Iduma Igariwey, a serving member of the House of Representatives, as a nominee to replace Umahi, and Fred Udogwu as Deputy Governor to replace Igwe to INEC in response to the Court’s decision.

Sen. Iyorchia Ayu, the PDP National Chairman, said at a press conference in Abuja that the decision was reached after extensive consultation with party stakeholders at the national and state levels, in accordance with the Federal High Court’s ruling on Tuesday.

In response, Umahi stated that he will not relinquish his position as governor of the state to anyone else.