Governor Umahi and deputy sacked after defecting to APC

Earlier today March 8, 2022, Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja was relieved of his position as Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State along with his Deputy, Dr Eric Kelechi Igwe, over their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC.

According to the Judge, the total number of 393, 042 votes governor Umahi polled during the March 9, 2019 governorship election in Ebonyi state, belonged to the PDP and cannot be legally transferred to the APC.

It held that the PDP is bound to retain the votes and mandate that was given to it by electorates in Ebonyi state, as both governor Umahi and his Deputy could not validly transfer same to APC.

The court further restrained both Umahi and Igwe from further parading themselves as governor or deputy governor of Ebonyi state.

The judgement followed a suit the PDP lodged before the court.

On January 29, 2021, Peoples Gazette reported that throughout Umahi’s tenure as Deputy Governor and Governor, he had transferred more than ₦3.6 billion in government money to his company, Brass Engineering & Construction Nigeria Limited. Bank records showed the payments starting in 2011, when Umahi become Deputy Governor to Martin Elechi, and continued into his term as Governor