Just In: Finally, Igariwey Reacts As Appellate Court Dismisses Umahi, Deputy's Sack Suit

By Otu Gilbert, Abakaliki

Ebonyi state Peoples Democratic Party governorship nominee, Hon Idu Igariwey on weekend called on the supporters of the party not to be worried with the dismissed suit against Umahi and his deputy, Barr Kelechi Igwe by Enugu division Court of appeal judgement as the matter is different from the case that had resulted to the sack of David Umahi which is still in the federal High Court Abuja.

Idu Igariwey on a letter published on his official page said the issue of the right of the PDP over its votes as determined by the Abuja Federal High Court, and the effect on INEC, never came up for consideration at the Enugu appellate court. Recall that federal High Court sitting at Abuja on 8th March ordered Engr David Umahi and Barr Kelechi Igwe to vacate their seat as the governor and deputy respectively for defecting from PDP, the party that gave them mandate to the ruling All Progressives Congress. Also recall was that on 28th February, Abakaliki High Court in a suit filed by senator Sonni Ogbuoji and All Progressives Congress against Ebonyi state governor, Engr David Umahi and his Deputy dismissed the suit and award the sum of five hundred thousand Naira damage to be paid to the governor. Reacting on the recent Enugu division appeal court judgement, the Peoples Democratic Party Governorship nominee said, "THE COURT OF APPEAL ENUGU DECISION: THE TRUE POSITION CONCERNING THE REMOVAL OF CHIEF DAVID UMAHI AS THE GOVERNOR OF EBONYI STATE. "This is to inform members of the Peoples Democratic Party and indeed the general public that there is absolutely nothing to worry about with regard to the Court of Appeal Enugu Division, decision on Umahi’s defection. "The judgment merely reaffirmed the decision of the lower court, which had nothing to do with the rights of the PDP. The matter in both the lower court and at the Court of Appeal, were merely determined on the arguments of APC who came a distant second in the election. "So the issue of the right of the PDP over its votes as determined by the Abuja Federal High Court, and the effect on INEC, never came up for consideration. Continuing,"In other words, the Court of Appeal matter in Enugu, merely reaffirmed what the lower Court Abakaliki decided! It did not determine anything new. The decision of the lower Court Abakaliki, did not affect the rights of PDP who were not joined as party, and has also not placed any obligation on INEC who were also not joined as parties. "By the decision, APC, is not supposed to inherit the votes of the PDP. In fact, the decision indirectly reaffirms the position of the Peoples Democratic Party, that the votes cast in an election belongs to the party who sponsored the election. It added, "𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐛𝐮𝐣𝐚 𝐃𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐣𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭 𝐬𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐔𝐦𝐚𝐡𝐢 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐧𝐮𝐠𝐮 𝐃𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 & 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐠𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧-𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐎𝐠𝐛𝐮𝐨𝐣𝐢 & 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐟 𝐔𝐦𝐚𝐡𝐢, 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐏𝐂. 𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐮𝐛𝐛𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐣𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭 𝐀𝐛𝐮𝐣𝐚 𝐬𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐨𝐫 𝐔𝐦𝐚𝐡𝐢 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞. "PDP is taking all necessary legal measures to ensure institutional compliance with the subsisting clear orders of a Court of competent jurisdiction. We reassure Ebonyians and the general public of our commitment in this regard, as our team of lawyers continue to work tirelessly on this matter. Signed: His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Iduma Igariwey Enwo" END