The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) 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.
Initially, the state election petitions tribunal overturned Sule’s victory, proclaiming PDP candidate David Ombugadu the winner.
The appellate court later upheld Sule as the legitimate governor, stating that the tribunal erred in its vote re-computation and pronouncement.
Stella Oboshi, the PDP’s Nasarawa women’s leader, raised alarm about the appellate court’s decision during a peaceful rally in Lafia.
She stated that the ruling violated democratic principles and urged the Supreme Court to conduct a comprehensive investigation, highlighting the importance of democracy in Nigeria.
She also challenged the initial pronouncement of Sule as the elected governor by the Independent National Electoral Commission, implying a lack of openness.
“We wish to highlight specific instances of irregularities that were overlooked by the court under the guise of technicalities,” Oboshi stated. 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 astounding 33,000 votes.
“Similarly, the number of accredited voters in the Chiroma ward was documented as 21,000, but INEC announced a staggering 59,000 votes solely for the APC.”
“We firmly believe that it is our judiciary’s responsibility to uphold the principles of justice, fairness, and merit in all of its decisions.” The lack of a thorough probe into the obvious inconsistencies in this instance is an affront to fundamental principles. It erodes the public’s faith in our justice 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.”
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Oboshi also expressed his anger with security forces in the state who brutalized some female party supporters on Monday.
As a result, she encouraged security authorities to stop persecuting party members and sympathizers, while emphasizing that they (supporters) had protested peacefully.
“We have been demonstrating peacefully 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 demonstrated disobedience to the country’s laws.
“We believe who we voted for was not the person INEC announced, 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 who were hurt 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.”
