APPEAL COURT REVERSES JUDGEMENT SACKING DAVID UMAHI AS EBONYI STATE GOVERNOR

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has reversed the March 8 judgment of the Abuja Federal High Court, sacking Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi and his deputy, Eric Kelechi Igwe, for defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

In a judgement today, a three-member panel of the appellate court lead by Justice Haruna Tsanammi, held that the 1999 Constitution as amended, did not provide any punishment for a governor or deputy governor who defected from the party on which platform they got to office.

The appellate court further held that the only option opened to a political party, aggrieved by the defection of a governor or deputy governor, is to explore the impeachment option provided in the Constitution.