A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered Ebonyi Governor and his Deputy Dave Umahi and Eric Kelechi Igwe to immediately vacate their offices.
The court found them guilty of unlawfully defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Nigerian politicians do not regard defection as any big deal, as they cherish moving from one party to another.
Most guilty are members of the two leading parties – the Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress.
Many top shots – including governors and lawmakers – have switched parties repeatedly.
As a matter of fact President Muhammadu Buhari had been part of the likes of the CPC and ANPP before getting into the APC alliance on the platform of which he got elected.
He has, however, not defected as President.
Umahi has – leaving the PDP for APC.
According to ‘The Nation’, Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a judgment on Tuesday, held that having defected from the party on which platform they won the election, Umahi and Igwe are deemed to have resigned their offices.
Justice Ekwo ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to accept from PDP names of its members to replace Umahi and Igwe, to serve out the remaining part of their tenure or, in the alternative, conduct fresh election to replace Umahi and Igwe.
The judge, among others, restrained Umahi and Igwe from further holding themselves out or parading themselves as the Governor and Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State.
The judgment was on the suit filed by the PDP, with INEC, APC, Umahi and Igwe as defendants
