An Abakaliki Division of the Ebonyi State High Court, on Monday, dismissed a suit challenging the defection of Governor David Umahi from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress.
According to the court, the governor did not flout any provision of the Electoral Act or the constitution to warrant his removal from office.
Umahi had in November 2020, dumped the PDP upon which he was elected two terms and moved over to the APC.
Owing to the development, the plaintiff, Senator Sonni Ogbuoji, approached the court by way of originating summons and prayed the court to hold that the Governor, having defected to APC from the PDP, ought to vacate the office of the Governor upon defection.
It is pertinent to note that Senator Ogbuoji was the APC’s governorship candidate during the 2019 election.
But Governor Umahi, in his defence, argued that the plaintiff was relying on the pre-election/election qualification issues, which ought not to be.
He further argued there was no provision in the constitution that provides for defection as one of the grounds for the vacation or removal of a person as Governor or as Deputy Governor.
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