Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has urged the Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, to return the mandate he got on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.
He said it was rather unfortunate that instead of seeking to appeal the judgment of the Abuja High Court, which sacked him, Umahi made a reckless statement attacking the judge.
Wike said this at the inauguration of the Eastern Bypass Road in Port Harcourt on Saturday, according to a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kelvin Ebiri.
The Rivers governor stated, “Look at a governor making a reckless statement simply because a judge made a judgment according to his own opinion, which you are entitled to appeal up to the Supreme Court.
“You have called somebody a thief in the market and you’re saying I’m sorry. It is late. That your sorry, we the members of the public, we don’t take it.”
The governor said it was the first time in Nigeria’s political history that the defection of a governor to another party was being contested in court.
He opined that the decision of the PDP to challenge the defection of Umahi and others elected on its platform should be seen as a clear example of what was required to strengthen democracy.
Wike said, “It was we members of the PDP who took Governor Umahi to court to demand the mandate of the party from him.
“If our party had done this earlier when people were leaving in the National Assembly, we wouldn’t have had the problem we are having today.
“That is one of the problems of party leadership. People cannot come out and take the bull by the horns. So, Governor Umahi, be assured that the PDP will continue this matter down to the Supreme Court. We will continue with the matter.”
He said it was no longer acceptable that someone would win an election and defect with the victory to another party for fear of escaping visitation by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission.
The governor stated, “You carry the votes of another party and join another party. Can you transfer votes? You work hard for somebody to win an election and tomorrow, the person says I have defected.
“If you have defected, leave the seat if you know it’s easy. And this will check most of these political harlots, who will never sit in one place.”