By Ruth Oginyi
Governor of Ebonyi state, South East Nigeria Engr David Umahi, Tuesday reacted to the federal high court judgment in Abuja which sacked him from office as the state governor saying he was still the Governor of Ebonyi State.
He said the judgment of Abuja federal high court presided over by Justice Inyang Ekwo which sacked him from office for defecting to the All Progressives Congress(APC) was null and void and of not effect.
Umahi spoke in Abakaliki, Ebonyi state capital while reacting to the court judgment.
He swore that he will not obey the Justice Ekwo judgment but will obey the state high court which did not fault his defection to the APC and similar ruling in Zamfara State that also okayed the defection of Governor Matawalle also to the APC.
He called on his supporters and the APC not to worry about the Abuja high court judgment and vowed that he will appeal the judgment.
“There is nothing to worry 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 seat; either by death, resignation or impeachment. By the House of Assembly. There is no any other constitutional provision that empowers a hatchet man to turn the constitution and the law upside down.
“I have listened to the judgment of Ekwo and it is very obvious that he was on a mission, he was making all effort to upturn the rulings of the Supreme Court and Appeal Court on the 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 APC, two to embarrass federal government.
“For me, I do not feel worried but I feel so sorry for the judiciary. The Executive may have problems, the Legislature may have problems but the moment justice could be purchased, then we in trouble in this country and the ruling this afternoon is a clear evidence that this country is in trouble.
Let me tell you that this same judge has over 10 cases against Ebonyi state government with him and you can imagine what he is goi8ng to rule. We have petitioned him before NJC and we will follow it up at all cost to ensure that this man is brought to justice. I want you to disregard the judgment, it is null and void. There is a subsisting judgment in Zamfara State and there is also a judgment in Ebonyi State. So, we have chosen the one to obey, we will not obey his ruling. We will obey the ruling of a competent court of equal level that says you cannot sue a Governor.
“The sections of the constitutions are very clear, no criminal or civil proceedings could be brought against a sitting Governor. This is not a pre-election matter, this is not a tribunal matter and so, he has murdered justice in this country and he will remembered and his generation for this jungle justice which has no leg to stand. I am still the Governor of Ebonyi state and he has no powers to remove me”, he said.
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