Hon Peter Ahemba, the Senior Special Assistant Public Affairs to Governor Adullahi Sule of Nasarawa state on Monday said the protest against his boss Court of Appeal victory by hired crowd further exposes the People’s Democratic Party ethnic agenda in Politics .
This was contained in a statement he made available to newsmen .
The statement reads that ” 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 which rightly set aside the split judgement of the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in the State and affirmed His Excellency, Engr. Abdullahi A. Sule as the lawfully elected Governor of the State.
He said ” 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 electorates of Nasarawa State, which is why they have remained firmly in support of the Governor and have been resisting all attempts by the PDP and its governorship candidate to takeover power through the backdoor. Indeed, no one can harvest where he/she did not sow.
The statement reads in part ” The recent stage-managed protest against the Appeal Court judgement by a group of sponsored individuals under the aegis of “Coalition of Indigenous People of Nasarawa State” as a calculated attempt to discredit the courageous, sound and firm judgement 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 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 the others. ”
He added that ” 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 amongst citizens by the opposition PDP and it’s 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 electorates 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 electorates 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 electorates, who gave their mandate to the Governor to enable him 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 electorates prevail ,he stressed .
H also added that 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 judgement 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, being achieved through the implementation of policies and programmes that have direct bearing on the lives of the people.”
” As a responsible government, the security of lives and property as well as welfare of the citizenry will continue to top the priority of His Excellency’s administration throughout his tenure as Governor of the State on May 29th, 2027 by the grace of God ” he added