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Governor Dave Umahi announced his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday, November 17, 2020.
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Governor Umahi claimed at the time of his defection that he was leaving the PDP with which he won the governorship seat on two occasions because of injustice.
“Why am I moving to APC? Some people said I was promised this and that but I tell you, there is no such discussion. APC never promised me any position, they never promised South East any position, there was no such discussion.
“However, I offered this movement as a protest to injustice being done to the South-east by the PDP. Since 1999, the South-east has supported the PDP. At a time the five states were all PDP. One of the founding members of the PDP was from South-east, the late former Vice President, Alex Ekwueme.
“It is absurd that since 1999 going to 2023, the South-east will never be considered to run for presidency under the PDP. And this is my position and will continue to be my position. It had nothing to do with me or my ambition,” he said at the time of his defection.
TNG reports after Umahi left the PDP, he became a terror to those who refused to leave the party with him. Preparatory to his dumping the party, Umahi sealed the State headquarters of the PDP.
While most lawmakers in the State House of Assembly were forced to defect with him, all lawmakers elected on the platform of the PDP representing Ebonyi State at the National Assembly (NASS) refused to defect with him.
After Umahi left the PDP, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State was adopted as the new leader of the party in the South East Zone.
After he left, not too long enough, Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State and Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State also left their parties to the APC.
Meanwhile, Femi Fani-Kayode confessed to facilitating the defection of Ayade, Umahi, Matawalle.
I remain Governor of Ebonyi State – Umahi reacts to court ruling sacking him
Meanwhile, the Ebonyi State Governor has reacted to the court ruling sacking him, saying that he remains the Governor of the State.
TNG reports Umahi was on Tuesday sacked as the Governor of Ebonyi along with his Deputy, Eric Kelechi-Igwe, and 17 lawmakers who defected with him.
The court ruled that the votes that brought Umahi to power belong to the PDP and not the APC, hence, he cannot continue to be Governor after leaving the party that nominated him.
Briefing journalists at the Ebonyi State Government House, Umahi said the ruling is jungle justice and that it was a judgement purchased.
He added that the ruling was not good for the Nigerian judiciary.