News Desk
Incumbent Governor of Nasarawa State, Engineer Abdullahi Sule has said if not for the testimonies of witnesses and including that of the Peoples Democratic Party star witness in the ongoing governorship petition before the tribunal sitting in Lafia, he would have nailed the PDP governorship candidate,for dragging revered Nasarawa State traditional rulers into politics.
This the Governor said through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs , Comrade Peter Ahemba on Saturday and was made available to news men.
Comrade Ahemba in the statement alluded that ” The attention of His Excellency, Engr. Abdullahi A. Sule, Governor of Nasarawa State has again been drawn to yet another online publication where a faceless group under the umbrella of “Concerned Citizens of Nasarawa State” has alleged moves by some traditional rulers in the State to meet with the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with a view to influence the outcome of the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in favour of the Governor.
” While His Excellency will continue to resist the temptation to join issues with paid agents of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),especially on an issue that is already before a lawfully constituted Tribunal to decide, it has become a matter of serious concern that the PDP has again thrown caution in the winds by dragging our revered Traditional Rulers into an issue that is purely political.
The statement continued in part that” It is on record that,traditional rulers in Nassrawa State have consistently maintained their neutral position on issues that have to do with partisan politics in the belief that,they are fathers to all. This could be attested to, by the warm reception usually accorded to all political parties and their candidates in every election season” The statement reads.
Giving more reasons to why it was uncalled for that a political party could be so unguided the governor’s SSA on Public Affairs drew the attention of the public by recalling that, prior to the 2023 general elections, the Peoples Democratic Party and its governorship candidate went to the respective palaces of the traditional rulers across the state to seek for their royal blessings and were warmly received.
Positing that, It is unfortunate that, today, the same traditional institution has become a subject of attack by the opposition. “Is it that the PDP as a party expected our traditional rulers to force the electorates to vote for its candidate?
Since the outright rejection of its governorship candidate by the electorates in the last general election, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party has been working to acquire power through the back door, even when the electorates have spoken to the party and its candidate in a language they ought to have understood. ” The Party must be reminded that the resort to cheap blackmail of our traditional rulers and propaganda will certainly not help matters, hence, our call on the party and its agents to desist from such abominable acts.
” We also urged the party to trade with caution even though information available to the State Government indicates that the petition at the Tribunal has been turned into a business venture for some PDP bigwigs which is why it was instituted in the first place.
” Little wonder, the opposition party and its governorship candidate have become more apprehensive due to the turn of events at the proceedings of the Tribunal, where the petitioner’s witnesses have rather exposed the widespread manipulation of election’s result in many Polling Units across the state. Be that as it may, the collective interest of the people of Nassrawa State must be placed above personal considerations, hence we urge the PDP and their agents to desist from actions, that are capable of jeopardizing the existing peace in the State.
” His Excellency, Governor Abdullahi A. Sule is confident that the judiciary will do justice to the matter before it, more so that, the inability of the petitioners to prove their case and testimonies, including their witnesses, and that of their “Star Witness” alluding to the fact that, the Party shortchanged the Governor and his party, the ruling All Progressives Congress may have nailed the petitioners.
Members of the public are, therefore, enjoined to disregard the said publication as neither His Excellency nor any traditional ruler is making a move to influence the Tribunal as alleged. As a matter of fact, the Governor does not have to lobby from any quarters having won his election landslide and defended same at the Tribunal through his competent legal team.
Techrectory
Francis Nansak Lafia
