As residents of Nasarawa State anticipate the Supreme Court’s judgement of the March 18, 2023 governorship election in the state, a coalition of women groups from across the 13 Local Government Areas of the state, have commenced a four days protest of silence in support of the Governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, David Ombugadu.
Our correspondent reports that the women who dressed in black attires, wielded placards with several inscriptions and green leafs during the protest.
Recall that the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal had on October 2, sacked Governor Abdullahi Sule of the All Progressives Congress, but unsatisfied by the judgement, Sule approached the Appeal Court where he was declared as the actual winner of the governorship election in the state.
Speaking with Journalists in Lafia on Monday, one of the leaders of the protesting women groups, Jamilatu Usaini, described the day’s protest as a special one because they were able to peacefully demonstrate on the roads for everyone to see that they were not happy with the election outcome in the state.
She said, “As women, we will never relent. We will continue to protest to show the world the injustice that was done to us.
“David Ombugadu of the PDP clearly won the election, but the Independent National Electoral Commission declared a different result.
“We are indigenes of the state and not foreigners, as such, the person who got the highest votes should be declared as winner based on the tenets of democracy.
“The protest of silence started today by 6am and it will end at 6pm. That is how it will be for the next four days.
“We are not asking for anything rather than seeking that the Supreme Court should review the BVAS records of the governorship election especially that of Gayam and Ciroma electoral wards of Lafia LGA before it delivers its judgment. The judgment should be based on merit and facts, not technicalities.”
Another protester who identified herself as Hanatu James, lamented that democracy was about popular votes and wondered why a person with the highest votes would not be declared the winner of an election in Nasarawa State.
The protester who was emotional while speaking with our correspondent, decried the level of insecurity in the state which had stopped many residents from going to their farmlands, and called on the Supreme Court to deliver justice in the case in the interest of humanity.
She further appealed to President Bola Tinubu and the international communities to intervene in the matter in order to safe democracy in the state and by extension, the entire country.
“During the governorship election, we voted for Ombugadu not Sule. Our hope is that the right thing will be done at the Supreme Court,” she added.
