The premises of the Appeal Court in Abuja is seen to be heavily guarded as it prepares to pass a judgement that could either make or break the Nasarawa State Governorship election legal dispute.
Several heavily armed security guards from the Nigeria Police, the Department of State Services, the DSS, and the Civil Defense Corps have blocked off all roads leading to the Appellate Court.
Officials from the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, are engaged in a tumultuous struggle to manage the heavy traffic caused by the road blockade, forcing both private and commercial vehicles that were headed for certain destinations to take alternate routes.
The court's management implemented security measures to prevent potential lawlessness following the verdict.
As of the time of this report, everyone entering the court grounds through the main gate—including reporters, attorneys, litigants, and court employees—was subjected to a thorough search process.
Even though many journalists were granted accreditation to cover the ruling, only five of them are permitted entry into the courtroom because of issues with crowd control and seating arrangements, according to a court official.
So many people were kept at a considerable distance by armed mobile policemen, while only a small number of recognized political party officials and their supporters who had arrived at the court as early as 8 am were allowed entry into the premises.
The state's incumbent governor, Abdullahi Sule of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and his opponent, David Ombugadu of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, are the ones locked in this legal battle.
Recall that on March 18, the Nasarawa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal declared, by a majority vote of two to one, that the election of Governor Sule was void due to his failure to receive the majority of valid votes cast.
Ombugadu, a former member of the House of Representatives, was proclaimed the election's legitimate victor by the Tribunal.
The justices are waiting for the judgment to be delivered in the interim.
