The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ebonyi State 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 Idu Igariwey who has been nominated by the party to inherit the party’s victory votes given to the PDP in 2019.
At a briefing yesterday in Enugu, the Ebonyi State chairman of PDP, Tochukwu Okorie said that the present problem in Ebonyi State governorship was created by INEC’s non withdrawal of Certificate of Return from Dave Umahi and issuance of same to the PDP-nominated governor of the state, Igariwey.
Okorie said: “The National Leadership of our great party has long complied with the ruling of the court by submitting Enwo Iduma Ighariwey and Fred Udogu to the Independent National Electoral Commission as replacement for Umahi and his deputy.
We have also ensured that the judgment and other records of the court were transmitted to the Commission too. What is standing, therefore, between the inauguration of the new administration of their Excellencies the Governor and Deputy Governor designate at the moment is INEC to issue them with their Certificates of Return in compliance with the ruling of the court. We urge the Commission to act expeditiously in this regard.
“NdiEbonyi should note that Ex-governor Umahi has neither been granted any stay of execution of the declaratory orders of the court nor has he successfully appealed the judgment. All he has done is to apply for stay of execution and file a notice of appeal; neither of which can act as a stay of execution. Similarly, the different court papers emanating from some state high courts cannot and do not confer any imprimatur of a stay of execution.”
