Gov. Sule
By Suleiman Abubakar
The recent protest embarked upon by a hired crowd against the judgement of the Appeal Court affirming the election of Governor Abdullahi Sule has exposed the People's Democratic Party, PDP ethnic agenda in Nasarawa state.
"We watched with great concern another shameful outing by a group of individuals believed to have been hired by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Nasarawa State to stage an unwarranted protest against the recent verdict of the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja. The court rightly set aside the split judgment of the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in the State and affirmed Gov. Sule as the lawfully elected Governor of the State," stated a press release signed by Hon. Peter Ahemba, Senior Special Assistant to Governor Sule on Public Affairs, and made available to Trumpet news in Lafia.
"No doubt, the March 18th, 2023 governorship election, which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Governor Sule as the duly elected Governor of the State, is a true reflection of the popular mandate freely given to him by the electorate of Nasarawa State," the statement continued.
He further explained that the people of the state remained firmly in support of Governor Sule and have been resisting all attempts by the PDP and its governorship candidate to take over power through the backdoor. Indeed, no one can harvest where they did not sow.
He stated that the recent stage-managed protest against the Appeal Court judgment by a group of sponsored individuals under the aegis of the "Coalition of Indigenous People of Nasarawa State" was a calculated attempt to discredit the courageous, sound, and firm judgment of the Appeal Court and blackmail the nation's judiciary for choosing to look at the appeal brought before it by the Governor on its merit rather than primordial sentiments.
The call on the International Community to intervene in the internal affairs of the state and the tagging of some ethnic groups as foreigners is laughable and has further exposed the opposition PDP of its ethnic agenda in the politics of Nasarawa State. The PDP as a party and its leaders must be reminded that the state is highly diverse in terms of ethnic and religious beliefs, and that no ethnic group or religion has the capacity to produce the Governor of the State without the support of others.
"We, therefore, condemn this show of desperation for power and urge security agencies in the state to note this dangerous rhetoric hovering very close to instigating hate among citizens by the opposition PDP and its sponsored groups in the state.
"It is also laughable that the PDP-sponsored coalition alleged external interference in the affairs of the state when the opposition party relied solely on external forces to acquire power, having been rejected by the electorate at the governorship poll. It is public knowledge how the PDP sought and got the support of some unsuspecting individuals and organizations within and outside the country on the basis of sentiments in its quest to snatch the mandate given to Governor Sule and his party, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
"The people of Nasarawa State are also fully aware of the role being played by some highly placed individuals, including a retired Military General, who has been working with the PDP to truncate democracy in the state. We are, however, confident and very optimistic that, with the facts of the matter, professionalism, and fairness being demonstrated by the nation's judiciary in the dispensation of justice, the will of the electorate will prevail even at the end of the legal battle.
"It is also public knowledge that the recent verdict of the Court of Appeal affirming Governor Sule's victory has been greeted with wide jubilations across the state. The electorate, who gave their mandate to the Governor to enable him to consolidate on the unprecedented achievements recorded by his administration in the first four years, have been applauding the Appellate Court for allowing the will of the electorate to prevail.
"The enthusiasm demonstrated by the people of the state, who trooped out in their thousands at strategic locations from Karu, Keffi, Kokona, Akwanga, Nasarawa-Eggon, and Lafia, the state capital, to accord His Excellency a heroic welcome back to the State after the Appeal Court judgment in Abuja attests to the joyful mood presently in the State.
"We commend the good people of Nasarawa State, especially the teeming supporters and well-wishers of His Excellency, for the show of maturity and urge them to remain law-abiding citizens, no matter the provocative actions and utterances of the PDP agents in the state, in the interest of peace and development.
"His Excellency's administration remains committed to the rapid socio-economic development of the state, achieved through the implementation of policies and programs that have a direct bearing on the lives of the people.
"As a responsible government, the security of lives and property, as well as the welfare of the citizenry, will continue to top the priority of His Excellency's administration throughout his tenure as Governor of the State, ending on May 29th, 2027, by the grace of God."
