Defection: Court Orders Stay Of Execution On Umahi,Deputy

Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi state and his deputy, Dr Kelechi Igwe, have obtained an interim order from a state high court that would last for seven days. The order states that the duo (applicants) shall remain and not be removed from office as governor and deputy governor of the state, respectively. The order was issued by Justice Henry Njoku, who had on Monday, February 28, 2022, ruled in favour of Umahi in a suit filled by the governorship candidate, Senator Sonny Ogbuorji of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2019 elections. The motion which is contained in a statement released by Governor Umahi’s media aide, Francis Nwaze, read in part: Motion Ex-parte dated and filled on 9th March 2022 and brought pursuant to order 39 rule 3(3) of the high court rule of Ebonyi state, 2008 and under the inherent jurisdiction of the honourable court coming before His Leadership, Justice Henry Njoku on 10th March 2022 praying the court as follow.

“An Interim order of the court for seven days (subject to renewal) that in view of its judgement in suit No.HAB/13/2022 delivered on 28th February, 2022 being a judgement in rem and having procedure over any subsequent contrary judgement. “The applicants Engr. David Umahi and Dr. Eric Kelechi Igwe shall remain and not removed from office as governor and deputy governor of the state, respectively.”