After a Federal High Court, Abuja granted an order sacking the Ebonyi state Governor, Dave Umahi and his Deputy, Eric Igwe from their respective positions, the court has also granted an order sacking 17 members of the Ebonyi state house of assembly.
The affected 17 lawmakers were part of the individuals that defected with Umahi from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Earlier, The New Diplomat had reported that Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, granted an order that restrained Umahi and Igwe from parading themselves as the Governor and Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State, on the grounds that the mandate which they enjoy was given to them under the platform of the PDP.
Recall Umahi and his deputy in November 2020 left the PDP and joined the APC.
The affected lawmakers on November 17, 2020, also joined Umahi and Eric Igwe, deputy governor, to move over to the APC.
Meanwhile, Justice Ekwo in its judgment delivered on Tuesday, held that the legislators could not transfer the mandate they received from the ballot to another political party after abandoning the political party that had sponsored them.
Inyang Ekwo, the judge, held that the defendants who were elected into the house of assembly on the platform of the PDP could not justify their defection when there was no division in the PDP.
He held that section 109(1) (g) of the 1999 constitution was purposely created to ensure that defectors were not allowed to retain their seats in the house, unless such defectors are able to justify their action.
