Nasarawa APC rejects tribunal’s judgment sacking Sule, backs decision to appeal

The Nasarawa State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday rejected the ruling of the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal that annulled the election of Gov. Abdullahi Sule.

The tribunal nullified Gov. Sule’s election on Monday in Lafia in a split decision.

It instead declared the petitioner, Mr David Ombugadu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) winner of the March 18 election.

Chairman of the three-member tribunal, Justice Ezekiel Ajayi, declared that Ombugadu proved to the tribunal that he had the majority votes, but the results were manipulated in favour of the APC.

Justice Chiemelie Onaga, a member the panel agreed with the judgement, but the third panel member, Justice Ibrahim Mashi, read a dissenting position and said the petition filed by Ombugadu lacked merit.

Addressing a news conference in Lafia, APC in Nasarawa State, rejected the split decision.

Its chairman, Alhaji Aliyu Bello, said the party aligned itself with the dissenting ruling and described it as firmly rooted in law, facts and in logic.

He added that the party was strongly behind the decision of Gov. Sule to test the judgment at the Court of Appeal.

Bello appealed to APC supporters in the state to remain calm and to await further action to reclaim the mandate.

The party also advised Gov. Sule not to be distracted, but to remain focused and to preoccupy himself with the task of providing good governance.