John Chukwu Ayim
Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi has dismissed the court ruling ordering his removal from office as “null and void”.
A Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday removed him and his Deputy, Kelechi Igwe, from office for defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Governor Umahi, who described the judgement as a sham, alleged that the presiding Judge was influenced to deliver the judgement against him and his political party.
He noted that there is no provision in the Nigeria Constitution where a serving Governor or his Deputy could be removed on account of defection to another political party.
He explained it is only through death, resignation or Impeachment by the state House of Assembly that a serving Governor and his Deputy could be removed from office.
“Nobody can remove me as the governor of the state as we know where the judgement came from,” he said.
“Justice Ekwo has more than 10 cases against the state government and we will see where this leads him.
“We have petitioned Ekwo before the National Judicial Council (NJC) as his continued stay on the bench is a disaster for the country. People should not panic as I, the governor, am not distracted at all.
“The constitution stipulates that the only way a governor can be removed from office is through death, resignation or impeachment by the state house of assembly.
“There is no constitutional provision that empowers a hatchet man to turn the constitution or law of the land on its head.
“The supreme court’s recent judgement on Zamfara, among others, attests to this fact as I remain the governor of the state,” he added.