NEWS
Umahi: Court judgement will strengthen the democracy- Ex Ebonyi SSG
The Abuja High Court judgement that ejected Governor Dave Umahi would “strengthen the democratic space in the country.” Former Secretary to the Ebonyi State Government, Prof. Benard Odo said.
Topnaija.ng had reported that the court had sacked Umahi along with his deputy, Dr Eric Kelechi-Igwe, for defecting from the People’s Democratic Party on whose platform they won the election in 2019, to All Progressives Congress alongside 17 0ther lawmakers who defected as well.
Odoh, in a statement on Thursday in Abakaliki, declared that the court verdict would enrich the nation’s adjudicatory system and deepen party democracy in Nigeria.
He mentioned that, “As someone who has, and will always speak and stand for the Ebonyi masses, I am optimistic that this verdict, whichever way the pendulum swings, will indeed help in enriching the Nigerian adjudicatory system on election matter.”
He particularly noted that the landmark judgement was the first time a serving governor and his deputy were being sacked by the court over defection to another political party.
“There has not been judicial precedence of this kind since the advent of the Fourth Republic, hence the varied interpretations and reactions the verdict has generated.
“However, for reasonable and discerning minds, the prevailing situation, including the varied interpretations, are all within the confines of what democracy permits.”
Justice Iyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja delivered the judgement in a case filed by Umahi’s former political platform, the PDP.
He pivoted his judgement on the view that votes does not belong to individuals flying the tickets but to the political parties.
