Ebonyi Governor to appeal against his sack over defection to APC

Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi is urging residents of the State and his supporters to disregard claims of his removal from office as Governor.

Umahi’s statement is coming on the heels of Tuesday’s judgement by the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja which sacked him and his deputy, Kelechi Igwe, over their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC.

The presiding judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo, in his ruling, declared that the defection of Governor Dave Umahi and his deputy, Kelechi Igwe, was illegal, null and unconstitutional.

Most journalists were covering an event to mark the 2022 International Women’s Day at the Office of the Governor’s wife, when the news filtered in that Governor Dave Umahi has been sacked by a court judgement.

Journalists immediately moved to the Governor’s office, where there was an unusual calm atmosphere, as the apprehension gripped the reporters who while waiting for the Governor’s arrival, discussed in hush tones what had transpired at the Federal High Court in Abuja.


A moment later, Govenor Umahi walked in with a smiling face.

He told journalists that there was no cause for alarm as he remains the Governor of Ebonyi State.

Describing the judgement as the judiciary on trial, the Governor says he will be heading to the Appeal Court to seek justice.

But a chieftain of the PDP in the state, Abia Onyike has described the Federal High Court judgement as one of the greatest legal pronouncements in Nigeria’s political history.

Onyike, who is a major critic of the Governor Umahi administration says whether the Ebonyi State Governor goes on the appeal or not, this ruling has reduced him to size.

The State PDP Chairman, Tochukwu Okorie could not be reached for comments.