Court Orders Umahi, Deputy To Remains In Office

 

By Adaeze Onuora Aroh

Following the  High Court sitting in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, a judge has ordered Governor David Umahi and his deputy, Dr. Kelechi Igwe, not to vacate their offices.

The order asking Gov. Umahi and his deputy, not to vacate their offices, was made by Justice Henry Njoku on Thursday after filing a motion Ex Parte on March 8, 2022, which ordered them not to vacate their offices for defecting from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

This is a case between  Senator Sunny Ogbuorji who contested governorship on the platform of the APC in 2019, and his running mate, Justin Ogodo Mbam. While

seeking the court to sack Umahi and his Deputy from offices for defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress.

The plaintiffs had asked Court to order Umahi and his deputy to vacate their offices having defected from the PDP on which platform they were elected as Governor and deputy and relinquish the positions for them, having come second in the governorship election.

But after seven days of domestic Njoku’s ruling, Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, in another suit, on Tuesday sacked Umahi and his deputy for defecting to the APC.

Therefore, Barrister Roy Umahi, Counsel to the defendants (Umahi and his deputy), on Thursday, has 

 maintained that earlier judgment of Justice Njoku which came before the judgment of the judgment high Court Abuja remains valid and subsijudgment said: “an interim order of this Honourable Court for seven days (7) subject to renewal is hereby granted, given its judgment in Suit NO HAB/13/2022 delivered on 28thgivenbruarjudgmenteing a judgment in rem and having the precedence over any subsequent contrjudgmentment. The applicants hereto, Engr David Umahi and Dr. Kelechijudgmentll accordingly remain and not be removed from office.e As Governor and Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State respectively”.

Meanwhile, Justice Njoku who give the judgment has also called on all Parties to obey the Court orders and refrain from abusing the judicial process by allowing  Governor Umahi and Deputy to remain the n the  office