Following the judgement of the Federal High Court sacking him from office, Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi has maintained that he still remains the incumbent governor of the state.
Umahi stated this in his office while briefing journalists in Abakaliki.
It will be recalled that a Federal High Court presided by Justice Inyang Ekwo, on Tuesday, sacked Umahi and his deputy, Kelechi Igwe, from office for defecting from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Umahi, however, vowed that he will obey the State High Court which did not fault his defection to the APC and a 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 about 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 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 the 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 are 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 going to rule. We have petitioned him before NJC and we will follow it up at all costs 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 be 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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