TheCable

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it is yet to receive the certified copy of the judgment sacking David Umahi, governor of Ebonyi state, and his deputy.

Rotimi Oyekanmi, chief press secretary to the INEC chairman, said this on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, a federal high court sitting in Abuja ordered the removal of Umahi and his deputy, Eric Igwe, over their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Inyang Ekwo, the judge, held that the 393,042 votes polled by Umahi in the March 2019 governorship election belonged to the PDP and cannot be legally transferred to the APC.

Reacting to a question about whether the commission has made a decision about the pronouncement of the court, Oyekanmi said: “As at the close of work yesterday, Tuesday 8th March, the Commission had not received the Certified True Copy of the judgment of the Federal High Court on the matter.

“It is only when this happens that the Commission will meet and take a decision.”

Umahi had described the judgment as a “sham”, and accused Ekwo of doing a “hatchet job”.

“Nobody can remove me as the governor of the state as we know where the judgement came from,” he said.