PDP Picks Igariwey, Udeogu As Ebonyi New Gov, Deputy

The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has picked Iduma Igariwey as its nominee as Ebonyi Governor.

The party also nominated Mr. Fred Udeogu as Deputy Governor.

They are to replace Governor Dave Umahi and his deputy, Eric Igwe of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday sacked Governor Umahi and his deputy for defecting from the PDP, the platform on which they were elected in 2019, to the APC.

The court, presided over by Justice Inyang Ekwo, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to effect the replacement of Umahi and Igwe with candidates of the PDP.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja, the National Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, said the party had already forwarded the names of Igariwey and Udeogu to INEC for the Commission to issue them with certificates of return.

Ayu also called on the Chief Judge of Ebonyi State to swear-in Igariwey and Udeogu as Governor and Deputy Governor without delay.

The Court also sacked the 17 members of the Ebonyi Assembly who also defected with the Governor and his deputy to the APC.

Ayu called on INEC to put the necessary machinery in motion to conduct fresh election into the 17 Ebonyi Assembly seats.

The suit that sacked Umahi, Igwe and the 17 members of the Ebonyi House of Assembly was instituted by the leadership of the PDP.

The PDP had prayed the court to sack the Governor, the Deputy Governor and the lawmakers for defecting to the APC with mandates they got on the platform of the PDP.