Protesting women across the 13 Local Government Areas of Nasarawa State have called on the “Supreme Court,” a body of the National Judicial Council (NJC) in Nigeria, to thoroughly examine the results of the Gayam and Chiroma electoral wards of Lafia Local Government Area before pronouncing its judgment on the appeal filed before it.
The protest follows the declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of Governor Abdullahi Sule of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the March 18 general election. David Ombugadu, the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), contested the results and took the matter to court.
While Ombugadu won his case at the Tribunal, he lost at the Appeal Court, prompting him to approach the Supreme Court for the final verdict. Protesting women, led by Hannatu John, expressed confidence that David Ombugadu would emerge victorious at the Apex Court due to the clear nature of the case.
The women, gathered at the PDP Secretariat in Lafia, expressed dissatisfaction with the Appeal Court’s judgment, claiming it did not align with the desires of the people who voted for their candidate. They specifically urged the Supreme Court judges to carefully examine the governorship election results in Gayam and Chiroma electoral wards of Lafia Local Government Area before delivering their judgment.
Hannatu John highlighted discrepancies in the number of accredited voters and the votes allocated to the APC in these wards, calling for a fair and just examination of the election results. The protesters emphasized that their actions were motivated by a genuine desire for justice and not by any external influence.
Jamilatu Yakubu, another protester, emotionally appealed to the Supreme Court to deliver a judgment that ensures peace and unity in the state. She expressed confidence in the fairness of the Apex Court and urged the judges to consider the merit of the case, aligning with the popular mandate of the people rather than focusing on technicalities or sentiments.