The sacked governor of Ebonyi state, David Umahi has insisted that he would not obey the court ruling that sacked him as governor, describing the judge as a “disaster” and “hatchet man” for the PDP.
“Nobody can remove me as the governor of the state as we know where the judgement came from,” he said as reported by NAN.
The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court on Tuesday sacked Mr Umahi and his deputy, Kelechi Igwe for defecting to the All Progressives Congress, APC from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
In the ruling, Justice Inyang Ekwo said that the votes cast for the PDP cannot be transfered to APC that lost the election, and so Umahi and his deputy should immediately vacate the seats that are meant for PDP candidates.
But the governor, who described the judgement as a “sham”, accused the presiding judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo, of doing a hatchet job for the PDP.
“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,” he said.
He said that the development will not affect his presidential ambition, noting that his legal team would appeal the judgement.
“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.”
