Ebonyi: APC blasts PDP for demanding Certificate of Return from INEC

 

 

.As Umahi withdraws stay of execution motion

 

CLEMENT NNACHI, Abakaliki

 

The Chairman of the All Progressive Congress /APC Ebonyi State Chapter Chief Stanley Emegha, has cautioned the Peoples Democratic Party /PDP to desist from demanding for Certificate of Return from INEC for the party nominee for Governor and Deputy Governor of the State.

 

Chief Emegha gave the warning in abakaliki the State capital on Wednesday while briefing newsmen on Political developments in the State.

 

He warned the PDP to desist from deceiving the general Public knowing very well that the said Judgement given gave since been appealed and Stay of Execution served on PDP.

 

“I want to put a note of warning to PDP, and if you think you can buy vote, I really dont think you can buy our judiciary.

 

*It is foolishness of the highest order by Ebonyi PDP, to demand for Certificate of Return from INEC for the purported candidates for an election the said candidates never participated.

 

Chief Emegha said the Constitution of Nigeria Section 285 /13 and the amended Electoral Laws both 2010 and 2022, including all known Cases at Appeal and Supreme Court , made it clear that you can not benefit or sue or be used for election you did not participated as candidates.

 

*It is, therefore, very funny and childish for PDP to be requesting for Certificate of Return from INEC even without regards to Abakaliki High Court order which is a Judgement in Rem, in the seat of the Governor and deputy governor of Ebonyi State”.

 

It would be recalled that the Peoples Democratic Party /PDP, has pleaded with the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to save the state from the governorship vacuum, it said is presently created by the non-issuance of a certificate of Return to Hon. Idu Igariwey who has been nominated by the party to inherit the party’s victory votes given to the PDP in 2019.

 

Meanwhile the Sacked Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State on Wednesday approached a Federal High Court (FHC). Abuja, to withdraw a stay of execution motion he filed due to a mistake in the application.

 

Chukwuma Ma-Chukwu Ume, SAN, counsel to Umahi and his deputy, Kelechi Igwe, told Justice Inyang Ekwo at the mention of the suit.

 

When the case was called, Ume informed the court that he had withdrawn the earlier motion to replace it with a new one.

 

He said the development was due to the fact that a mistake occurred in the earlier stay of execution motion, especially in the spelling of Umahi’s name.

 

The senior lawyer said that though the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) served them with their counter affidavit yesterday (Tuesday), they sought to replace their motion with another due to the spelling error.

 

Counsel to the PDP, James Onoja, also informed the court of their intention to respond to the new motion on stay of execution filed by Umahi and Igwe.

 

Other parties, in addition, said they were yet to respond to the applicants’ motion.

 

Justice Ekwo adjourned the matter until March 21 to enable the respondents to file a counter to the application for stay.

 

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ekwo had, on March 8, in a judgment, ordered Umahi, his deputy, Kelechi Igwe, and 16 lawmakers to vacate their office and seats, following their defection from the PDP to All Progressives Congress (APC).

 

The judge also directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately receive from the PDP, the names of its candidates to replace them.

 

NAN, however, reported that on March 10, Governor Umahi and others had sought an order of the FHC Abuja, staying the execution of its judgment directing them to vacate their offices over their defection to another political party.

 

In a motion on notice filed by their counsel, Ume, the applicants also prayed the court to stay the execution of its order directing INEC to receive another names in their place or hold a governorship election in accordance with Section 177(c) of the 1999 Constitution.

 

Umahi and Igwe, in the motion on notice dated March 9 equally sought an order staying the execution of the order of court directing INEC to immediately declare the persons nominated by the PDP as governor and deputy governor of Ebonyi respectively.

 

They further urged the court to stay the execution of its order restraining the INEC from recognising or continue to recognise them as governor and deputy governor of the state, pending the hearing and determination of the appeal dated and filed on March 9 by the appellants, among others.