By Harry Awurumibe, Editor Abuja Bureau
The embattled Governor of Ebonyi state, Chief David Nweze Umahi and his Deputy, Eric Kelechi Igwe will next week discover if they will serve out their term in office or vacate their seats as directed by Justice Inyang Ekwo of Federal High Court, Abuja a fortnight ago.
This much was disclosed on Thursday in Abuja by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) after it failed to take a position on the plethora of court judgment in favour or against Governor Umahi, Deputy and 16 Ebonyi state lawmakers who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC).
In a statement signed by Barrister Festus Okoye, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee which was made available to journalists in Abuja,
the Commission said a new court order was served on it on Thursday when it was about to deliberate on the Ebonyi Governor’s defection case.
The statement read in parts:
“The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) met today, (Thursday, March 17, 2022) and deliberated on a wide range of issues, including the rising tide of litigations that do not directly involve the Commission, but in which the principal parties joined it”.
“The Commission was briefed by its Litigation and Prosecution Department, including an update on litigations, showing that in the last three months, the Commission has been joined in seventy-one new cases in various Courts across the country.
“Most of these cases, including the widely discussed one on Ebonyi State, involve either intra-party issues or litigants seeking for various reliefs from the Courts that entail consequential orders that are binding on the Commission”.
“THE CASE OF EBONYI STATE
The Commission today listed this matter for deliberation. It involves Court cases on the defection of the Governor and Deputy-Governor of Ebonyi State and sixteen members of the State House of Assembly from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC)”.
“The Commission has been served with nine separate Orders and Motions from various Courts on this matter.
“Just as the Commission was about to commence deliberation on them, its attention was drawn to additional Court processes served today in respect of the matter”.
“Consequently, the Commission decided to defer its deliberation on the Ebonyi cases and stepped down the listed Memorandum to enable its Legal Services and Clearance Committee to study the new processes in the light of the previously served ones and advise the Commission comprehensively.
“The Commission will meet again next week to deliberate on the matter and thereafter make its decision public”.
