By Gbenga Oloniniran

A judge of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, Justice Inyang Ekwo, struck out a motion that sought for a stay of execution by the Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi and his Deputy, Eric Kelechi Igwe.

Speaking on the development, the lawyer to the state government as well as elder brother to the Ebonyi State Governor, Roy Nwaeze, explained why Umahi’s motion was struck out by the court.

Nwaeze noted that the position of things was simply that the records of the appeals filed by Governor Umahi and his Deputy and the House of Assembly members had been transmitted to the Court of Appeal, Abuja and the appeals had been duly entered in that Court as Appeal Numbers 274 and 275.

“The appeals, having been entered in the Court of Appeal, the Federal High Court, from which the appeals emanated, ceased to have jurisdiction to entertain any matter pertaining to those cases that it had heard.

“What, therefore, simply happened in the Federal High Court today was that the counsel for Governor Umahi and the House of Assembly members informed the Court that the appeals have been entered in the Court of Appeal.

“He applied to withdraw the motion for stay of execution because a new one has also been filed in the Court of Appeal. Anything else that people are reporting is as a result of ignorance” Nwaeze said.

It was gathered that some people of Ebonyi State were excited over the position of the court, thinking it to be a denial of Umahi’s quest to remain in office.

Originally published at Punch