Ebonyi Governor David Umahi has defied his sack by High Court judgement, vowing he remains Governor.
He urged the people of the State to remain calm as he was sure of quashing the ruling at the Appeal Court.
The Governor, who described the Justice Inyang Ekwo judgement as a jungle justice, said he has forwarded a petition against the Judge to Nigerian Judicial Council (NJC).
He noted the Court lacks the powers to remove him as Governor as he is covered by immunity clause which protects him from any form of litigation that is not pre election and tribunal matter.
According to the court, having defected to the APC, both Umahi and his deputy, not only jettisoned the PDP, but also the votes that belonged to it.
It held that going by the outcome of the governorship election, the office of the governor and deputy governor in Ebonyi state, “belong to the Plaintiff and no other political party.”
“There is no constitutional provision that made the ballot transferrable from one party to the other.”
It held that the PDP was bound to retain the votes and mandate that was given to it by electorates in Ebonyi State, as both governor Umahi and his Deputy could not validly transfer same to APC.
The court, therefore, ordered both Umahi and Igwe to immediately vacate their positions.
It ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to immediately receive from the PDP, names of persons to replace Umahi and his Deputy, or in the alternative, conduct a fresh gubernatorial election in Ebonyi State in line with section 177(c) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
The court further restrained both Umahi and Igwe from further parading themselves as governor or deputy governor of Ebonyi State.
The judgement followed a suit the PDP lodged before the court.