Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court Abuja on Tuesday sacked the Governor of Ebonyi State, Chief David Umahi and his Deputy, Kelechi Igwe over their defection from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The court held that the governor and his deputy cannot continue to occupy office having defected from the party on whose platform they came into office.
Dave Umahi and his deputy had contested and won the 2019 governorship election on the platform of the PDP but later decamped to the APC.
Their action had incurred the wrath of the PDP which dragged them to court to challenge their continue stay in office having left the PDP that brought them to power.
Delivering judgment in the suit on Tuesday, Justice Ekwo held that since candidates contest election under the platform of political parties, the votes and the victory in any election therefore belongs to the party and not the candidates.
Justice Ekwo subsequently ordered that Umahi and his deputy vacate office immediately having decamped from the party through which they won election as governor and deputy.
The judge directed the PDP to bring up the runner up of its governorship primary or in the alternative conduct another primary.
Alex Enumah in Abuja
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