By; SAMSON YAKI, Lafia
The State Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Nasarawa State has backed Governor Abdullahi Sule over his decision to appeal the majority decision of the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal (GEPT) that annuled his election and sacked him from office.
According to the party in a statement signed by its Chairman, Hon. Aliyu Bello, the Justice Ezekiel Ajayi-led Tribunal erred in arriving at the decision.
The Tribunal on Monday, sacked Governor Sule and declared David Ombugadu of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as the authentic winner of the March 18 gubernatorial election in the State.
Reacting however, the party said the Tribunal committed a monumental error in declaring 45-year-old PhD holder in Development Economics, Ombugadu as the winner of the election.
“We identify ourselves with the dissenting judgment which is firmly rooted in Law, facts and logic. This further strengthened our resolve to pursue the appeal.
“The facts and arguments presented by our Legal team and that of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), against the petition of the PDP and its candidate, David Emmanuel Ombugadu are overwhelming and incontrovertible. We are therefore in awe as to how the Tribunal arrived at its puzzling decision,” the party, said.
“However, as a law abiding people oriented political party that believes in the rule of law, the APC in Nasarawa State hereby appeal to all the good people of the State, especially our teeming supporters, and well-wishers to remain calm, and await the pursuit of justice, by our hardworking Governor, His Excellency, Abdullahi A. Sule, to take its course.
“Meanwhile, we reassure His Excellency of the party’s support and loyalty. We are very optimistic that the inadvertent decision of the Tribunal is only a drawback, which will be redressed at the Appeal Court.
“We also wish to urge His Excellency not be perturbed by this political blink, but to remain focused, and ever preoccupied with the task of providing good governance to the State, which he has been doing over the past years,” the statement reads further.
They however warned the opposition party in the State against “harassing and intimidating people in the guise of celebrating the spilt judgment”.
“Decorum and sense of responsibility should be employed to avoid breakdown the law and order,” they added.
On the economic hardship being faced by Nigerians following the removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government, the party sympathised and commend them for their endurance and patience.
“We are confident that both the Federal, and Nasarawa State Governments will as promised, provide more palliatives to Nigerians, especially to the vulnerable people and the civil servants, a view to caution the economic hardships in the country.
“We are also happy to note that the Organized Labour and the Federal Government has reached an agreement which has averted the planned strike action, which would have brought more hardship to Nigerians.
The APC in Nasarawa State wishes to commend the Organized Labour for its understanding and patriotism, just as we are optimistic that the Federal Government its side of the agreement,” the party further stated.
