Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State, his Deputy, Kelechi Igwe and 16 members of the House of Assembly have appealed the judgement sacking them from their elected offices over defection and also asked a Federal High Court in Abuja for an order staying the execution of same judgement.
THE NATION reports that in a motion on notice filed for them by their lawyer, Chukwuma Machukwu Ume (SAN), they also want the court to stay the execution of the orders made in the judgment delivered on March 8, 2022, including the one directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately receive from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the names of its candidates to replace them.
They hinged their requests on the grounds that having been dissatisfied with the judgment, they have appealed to
They disclosed that they had already appealed to Court of Appeal by filling two notices indicating that they were not satisfied with the judgement of March 9, 2022.
They added that the notices of appeal have been dully served on all the parties and the court while claiming to have also commenced the process for the compilation and transmission of the records of the appeal in the appeal.
It is their contention that unless execution of the judgment of the court is stayed, the outcome of the appeal filed by them will be rendered nugatory.
They noted that the appeals raise substantial, recondite and arguable issues of law with reasonable chances of success.
They argued that their rights would be highly jeopardized if the judgment of the court is allowed to be executed before their appeal is heard and determined.
Umahi and others stated that one of the serious grounds of their appeals is the substantial issue of jurisdiction, which they stressed, constitute exceptional circumstances in consideration to which the law permits the grant of stay of execution pending the hearing and determination of their appeals.
