On Saturday, some Nasarawa State residents held a peaceful protest in Lafia, the state capital, against the recent judgment of the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja, which declared Governor Abdullahi Sule the winner of the state's 2023 governorship election.
The governorship election petitions tribunal had on October 2, 2023, sacked Sule of the All Progressives Congress and declared David Ombugadu of the Peoples Democratic Party winner of the election.
Dissatisfied with the tribunal's decision, the governor filed an appeal to overturn it and confirm his election as announced by INEC.
Women and youths dressed in black and wielded leaves during Saturday's protest, which began at the Welcome to Lafia City Gate and ended at the Stadium Junction.
They also carried placards with messages like "The Law Should Protect Us On Merit, Not Technicalities;" "Nasarawa Mourns For The Soul Of Democracy;" and "President Tinubu, Please Save Our Democracy," to name a few.
Following the three-hour-long protest, the Convener of the Coalition of Indigenous People of Nasarawa State, Kefas Tigga, accused the appeal court of imposing Sule on the people of the state.
As a result, he petitioned the Supreme Court to do the right thing by carefully reviewing the facts and figures in the case and announcing the actual winner of the election.
Tigga said, “The new normal established by the appeal court has created a dangerous precedent that undermines the fundamental principle of majority rule. The rights of indigenous people as expressed through their votes must be protected and upheld without any compromise.
“For far too long, Nasarawa State has been subjected to external control, primarily driven by economic exploitation, neglecting the welfare and security of our citizens and their properties. Our people have been under persecution based on either their religious beliefs or their ethnic affiliations.
“We are here today to shed light on the fact that David Ombugadu of the PDP rightfully won the governorship election held on March 18, 2023. The wrongful declaration of Audu Sule as the winner by INEC was a clear deviation from the true democratic process.
“Our last hope lies with the Supreme Court, the final arbiter of justice, to stand firmly by our laws and allow the voice of the majority to prevail over mere technicalities.
