Umahi's attempt to get reinstated suffers setback after court strikes out his motion

GOVERNOR David Umahi's attempt to get his recent dismissal from office overturned suffered a major setback today when a federal high court in Abuja struck out a motion he filed seeking to nullify his removal.

On March 8, Justice Inyang Ekwo had in a judgment ordered Governor Umahi, his deputy Kelechi Igwe, and 16 lawmakers to vacate their office and seats, following their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). According to the court, the voters of Ebonyi State elected them in the platform of the PDP, so the party owns they votes they received.

Fighting back, however, Governor Umahi sought a stay of execution of the March 8 judgment but today, Justice Ekwo struck out the motion. This happened after Chukwuma Chukwu Ume, counsel for Governor Umahi and his deputy, Kelechi Igwe, asked the court for the withdrawal of the motion.

In his ruling, the judge also directed the Independent National Electoral Commission to immediately receive from the PDP, the names of its candidates to replace the dismissed politicians. Already, the PDP has nominated Iduma Igariwey as a replacement for Governor Umahi, with Fred Udeogu named as its deputy governor.