In Nasarawa, PDP members reject Appeal Court judgment, protest

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chapter in Nasarawa State has petitioned the Supreme Court to reconsider the Court of Appeal’s ruling in Abuja, which confirmed Governor Abdullahi Sule’s victory in the 2023 governorship election.

The state election petitions tribunal initially overturned Sule’s victory, pronouncing PDP candidate David Ombugadu the winner.

However, the appellate court later upheld Sule as the legitimate governor, stating that the tribunal erred in its re-computation and declaration of votes.

Stella Oboshi, the PDP’s women leader in Nasarawa, raised alarm about the appellate court’s decision during a peaceful protest in Lafia.

She contended that the ruling violated democratic principles and urged the Supreme Court to conduct a comprehensive investigation, highlighting the significance of democracy in Nigeria.

She also slammed the Independent National Electoral Commission’s first pronouncement of Sule as the elected governor, claiming a lack of openness.

“We wish to highlight specific instances of irregularities that the court overlooked under the guise of technicalities,” Oboshi added. In the Gayam ward of Lafia Local Government Area, for example, the total number of accredited voters was 13,000, with the APC receiving an incredible 33,000 votes.

“Similarly, while the number of accredited voters in the Chiroma ward was documented at 21,000, INEC announced a staggering 59,000 votes solely for the APC.”

“We are firm believers that it is our judiciary’s responsibility to uphold the principles of justice, fairness, and merit in all of its decisions.” The failure to conduct a thorough investigation into the obvious discrepancies in this case is an affront to these principles. It erodes public trust in our legal system.

“It is, therefore, essential that the judiciary, as a pillar of democracy, does not inadvertently provide a platform for the perpetration of electoral injustice.”

Oboshi also expressed his disgust with the state’s security agents who brutalized some female party supporters on Monday.

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As a result, she encouraged security agents to stop persecuting party members and supporters, while emphasizing that the supporters had protested peacefully.

“We have been peacefully demonstrating for over six months since INEC declared Governor Abdullahi Sule the winner of the March 18 governorship election in the state,” she stated. We have never destroyed anything or violated any national laws.

“We believe who we voted for was not the person announced by INEC, and we want justice to be served, but to our greatest surprise, security agents brutalized some of our women on Monday for participating in a peaceful protest.” Those injured are being treated in a hospital.

“I am calling on the security agencies to protect the women and not attack them because their intention for embarking on the peaceful protest is to seek justice, not to foment any form of trouble in the state.”