From Daniel Abel, Lafia
Over 500 women protesters in Nasarawa state trooped out on Monday ahead of the supreme court hearing scheduled for Tuesday (today) with an appeal to the Apex Court to be fair to the masses in ensuring their votes count and not to stick to technicalities to deliver judgement.
The women commended the judges over the landmark judgments on the governorship disputes in Kano, Plateau and other states as they appealed for the same principle to be replicated in the Nasarawa case.
The women however commended president Bola Tinubu for not interfering with judicial integrity despite pressures.
They indicated that the verdict ended in peaceful jubilation because it was the reflection of the mandates of the masses.
The protest is the continuation of the agitation for justice by the group since March 18 when the governorship election result was announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and it has lasted for over ten months
Jemilatu Hussaini who spoke with our reporter in Lafia said that the judges of the Supreme Court in their recent judgments have proven that indeed the judiciary is the last hope of the common man.
She said they should use the same principle where only the candidate with the popular votes and that had highest number of votes would be the one to be declared as winner.
“The court should review the BVAS records of Gayam and Ciroma Electoral Wards of Lafia Local Government Area and other places where rigging was alleged to have taken place during the March 18 election before passing their judgment.
“Doing so will ensure that justice is properly served and would also restore the confidence of the people in the electoral process. Please do not ignore our votes at the expense of technicalities” she pleaded.
Similarly, Mrs Hanatu John said that Friday judgements by the supreme court have restored hope on the renewed mandate and believed that justice would be served in the governorship dispute of Nasarawa State.
“We are appealing to judges not to succumb to pressures from any quarters, because doing so will destroy their name and reputation they build for yourselves over the years,” she added.
On her part, Mrs. Charity Samuel said that she is trusting God the justice served to the people of Kano and Plateau states would not be the last.
She said that the judges would also ensure justice for the people of Nasarawa State so that peace, unity and development would return to the state.
The women however reiterated that they will continue in their peaceful agitation in line with democratic principles until fair and true justice that returns the People’s mandate is restored to their candidate, David Ombugadu of the PDP in the March 18th governorship election