David Umahi: From frying pan to fire?

Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, trended all week long. He became the major news item after an order sacking him from office along with his deputy, was made by a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja. The now controversial judgment is still being discussed by Nigerians with opinions sharply divided.

After his initial uncomplimentary tirades against Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court for asking him to vacate office, Umahi on Wednesday recanted and tendered an apology to the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA). This volte face kept the embattled All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain in the new.

Justice Ekwo had last Tuesday ordered the sack of Umahi, his deputy, Eric Igwe, and Hon Francis Nwifuru, Speaker of the state assembly, over their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC. In his judgment, Ekwo held that their defection was unconstitutional.

Umajhi, a two-term governor, who was elected on the platform of the PDP, joined the APC in 2020. Shortly after, the Speaker and some lawmakers joined them in their new party. In his ruling, Ekwo ordered all the lawmakers who defected to vacate their seats.

The judge held that all salaries and allowances collected from the period of defection to the present should be forfeited to government coffers. In his immediate reaction, a visible angry Umahi said the judgment was null and void and of no effect. He spoke in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, while addressing journalists in his office.

He vowed that he will not obey the judgment but will obey the state high court which did not fault his defection to the APC and similar ruling in Zamfara State that also okayed the defection of Governor Bello Matawalle to the APC. He described the judgement as a hatchet job and feared that justice was now being merchandised.

He said: “I have listened to the judgment of Ekwo and it is very obvious that he was on a mission, he was making all efforts to overturn the rulings of the Supreme Court and Appeal Court on the issues like this. We have heard the rumours before now that he was determined to give judgment against all known laws and the constitution.

“First, to embarrass APC, two to embarrass the Federal Government…for me, I do not feel worried but I feel so sorry for the judiciary. The Executive may have problems, the Legislature may have problems but the moment justice could be purchased, then we are in trouble in this country and the ruling this afternoon is clear evidence that this country is in trouble.”

The governor’s reaction came under widespread condemnation with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) hitting hard at him for disrespecting the judiciary with his castigation of the judge. Umahi however apologised on Wednesday. “I’m using the opportunity to let Nigerians know that nobody castigated the judge and we will not and because the matter was not before any judge,” he said.

“Today, we have appealed the judgement. We have done three things; we have done the appeal at Enugu, and when I say that, we have two judgements, I say that the judgement in Ebonyi state, which has equal powers with that of Abuja. We said we will obey the judgement in Ebonyi State. We will appeal the judgement of Abuja. We didn’t say we will disobey otherwise we would have not appealed,” he said.

The governor added that he has mobilized over 17 Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN) to appeal the judgement of the Federal High Court sitting. “We are before the Appeal Court of Enugu State and that of Abuja. We have also filed a stay of execution. So, we are still the Governor and Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State” he stated.

That may be cold comfort for him given that until these courts or the Supreme Court rule to the contrary, Ekwo’s judgment would be hanging like a Sword of Damocles over him, his deputy and the affected legislators.

Many would be wondering if Umahi who thought he was fleeing a fiery frying that was the Ebonyi PDP, has not now landed squarely in the APC fire if the judgment sacking him is upheld.(Courtesy The Nation)