On why Governor David Umahi invalidated his Certificate of Return by First Baba Isa, for having defected from the PDP to the APC, has attracted the reaction of the Principal Secretary to Ebonyi State Governor, Chief Emmanuel Obasi JP.
Obasi in his response to Baba Isa's position on Umahi's defection saga said, "this argument looks tenable to an undiscerning mind but to a discerning mind, it is as hollow as a sphere," insisting that "there is nothing inside to take it seriously."
The Principal Secretary further said: "My concern is reacting to this feeble submission is that even you who read it did not consider the substance of the matter. No one is saying that Governor Umahi did not win his Governorship election under PDP. No, at all. No one is in doubt that his Certificate of Return did not say "of" PDP. Not at all.
"But that Certificate of Return is talking to or about a Governor-elect, not a Governor when it said "I hereby certify that Nweze David Umahi of ..... has been elected to the office of Governor ...."
"Only a Gubernatorial Candidate who decamps before the Governorship Election or a Governor-elect who decamps before his swearing-in can be removed by this type of Inyangaekwomised judgement.
"A sitting Governor, that is, a duly sworn-in Governor is no longer the property of any political party. He is the Father of the State and must treat all citizens equally without discrimination on grounds of party affiliation or other considerations. A sitting Governor is not only a direct member of any political party he chooses to patronise but also an indirect member of all the Registered political parties in his State. That's why he is the Chief Security Officer of his State and by implication, all political parties in his State.
"Moreover, we are in a democracy. Are you saying that if the MAJORITY of the people of the State (as in the case of Gov Umahi) decides for one reason or the other to change their party from PDP to APC, do you expect a reasonable Governor to remain alone in PDP? Nay. Governor Umahi's decamping to APC was the result of pressure mounted on him by the people of Ebonyi State considering his leadership position in the South East and the total neglect of Ndigbo by the PDP, especially about the presidential flagship in 2023. So, he merely responded to the yearnings of Ndigbo in general and Ebonyi people in particular.
"As such, the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria provided only four conditions in which a sitting Governor can be removed from Office:
"1. A Governor can be removed from Office by an Election Petition Tribunal.
"2. A Governor can be removed from office through impeachment by the House of Assembly.
"3. A Governor can remove himself from office through resignation.
"4. A Governor can be removed from office by death.
"There is no other condition known to our Constitution through which a Governor can be removed from Office.
"Therefore, even if the matter goes from Appeal Court to Supreme Court there is not going to be any Constitutional Amendment in-between that can make Governor Umahi (a sitting Governor) lose his position because he decamped from PDP to APC. Not at all.
"Moreover, there is an aspect of our National Constitution that makes Freedom of Association an inalienable Human Right issue. An inalienable right is more powerful than any -contrary constitutional provisions. How then on earth can you take away the fundamental or inalienable right of a sitting Governor to freely associate politically. Even on this ground alone, Governor Umahi will receive favourable Judgement.
"So, those who think that Governor Umahi is losing sleep over this matter should know that he is rather gaining strength. And when all these ends in his favour people will say that the judgement has been purchased instead of looking at the merit of the matter. I rest my submission and I come in Peace."
