Ebonyi APC hails judgement on suit seeking removal of Gov. Umahi
[From CHINEDU NWAFOR, Abakaliki]
Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ebonyi State, Chief Stanley Okoro Emegha, has hailed the Nigeria’s judiciary for dismissing a suit that sought to sack Governor David Umahi has a Governor.
Senator Sunny Ogbuorji who was the governorship candidate of the APC in 2019 in Ebonyi State, had through originating summons asked the Court to hold that the defendant, Governor Umahi, having defected to the APC from the PDP, ought to vacate the office, so that he would be sworn-in having came second in the election.
But a judgment delivered by Justice Henry Njoku on Monday held that having regard to section 188 (1) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, the defendant (Governor Umahi) has not offended any provision of the Constitution or the Electoral Act in his defection to the APC.
Emegha while speaking on the judgment on Tuesday, said it was anticipated because the provisions of the constitution on the matter were crystal clear.
According to him, the judgement reaffirmed the saying that the judiciary is truly the last hope of the common man.
He described the suit as frivolous and exercise in futility, and commended the Governor for not allowing the court action to distract him, from focusing in delivering good governance to the people of the state.
He appreciated Ebonyi people who first gave the verdict via the polls because of their satisfaction with Governor Umahi’s trajectory in Infrastructural development and peace building among communities within and outside the state during his first tenure in office.
Emegha said: “In all honesty, for the right thinking citizens like us who participated in the last General Election especially from Edda in Afikpo South Local Government Area of the state where coincidentally I and the plaintiff Chief Sunny Ogbuorji hail from, we all knew that the electorate voted massively for Governor David Umahi because of his achievements in his first tenure”.
“The verdict has reaffirmed the saying that the judiciary is truly the last hope of the common man. It has also given more strengthen and hope to the Nigerian people that the judiciary is still very strong and unbiased”
“There was never a time the matter distracted the Governor because on several occasions he reassured the people of the state that all the ongoing projects will be completed before he bows out of office in 2023. My Principal is focused and ever determined to leave office as the best Governor in history of the country”. Chief Emegha emphasized.
“To the family of the ruling APC, this is a welcome development. The battle is over and the Governor still remains the number citizen of the state. He has a convenant with God to rapidly develop the state and its inhabitants. However, in the spirit of sportsmanship the plaintiff who is now an integral part of the party cannot even appeal the judgement because there were overwhelming evidence that the suit lacked merit as read out by the presiding judge. Before the ruling, there were stories that he wanted to withdraw the matter.”
