From Daniel Abel, Lafia
Following the Appeal court judgement, widows and aged women protesters have occupied the high way in Lafia demanding that justice is done in the drama that took place at the popular ‘Gayam and ‘Chiroma wards in Lafia local government during the governorship election.
Over 500 women who are mostly widows and older women on Wednesday begged the Supreme Court not to overlook the falsification of the election result at the two wards.
They expressed dismay that claims of technicalities is being given more prominence in the delivery of judgement.
An 80 years old Mrs. Sarah Danjuma spoke to journalists after the Wednesday protest in Lafia, the state capital, saying,
“How can anyone overlook the irregularities during the March 18 governorship election under the guise of technicalities in Gayam and Chiroma wards all in Lafia Local Government Area.
“The total number of accredited voters in Gayam ward according to INEC was about13,000. Then in the result of that election 33,000 votes were given to the APC alone by INEC.
“This is traumatizing, and that is the point we are making.
“Secondly in Chiroma ward, the number of accredited voters according to INEC record was 21,000, but INEC announced 59,000 votes solely for the APC. Who will know all these and just fold his hands in a democratic setting?
“These and more are the discrepancies the court shielded and went ahead to nullify the tribunal victory of the David Ombugadu that is traumatizing us as women in Nasarawa state.
“We know what it is costing us to wake up everyday to occupy the high way but it’s worth it because injustice is the greatest destroyer of any society. We can’t watch our only state to fester in injustice.
“We take our lives in our hands everyday ignoring the danger associated with protest. Look at what the Nigerian Army did to us three daysearlier while on peaceful protest. If not for God’s mercy on our side many of us would have been crushed to death.
“We have been called all kinds of names by the ruling APC that we are prostitutes. They said we are being paid to go nude. They said we are shameless and irresponsible.
“Nobody is sponsoring us, not even the PDP. Our children and relations give us money to transport to the venue of the protest. Sometime we beg Keke drivers to help us to the venue of the protest and some of them just show us pity and carry us free or collect less money from us.
“We are happy because we are paying the prize for true justice. God is seeing our suffering and He will hear our prayers.
“We call on the president, who is born of a woman like us to come to our help. The judiciary must remember that they are the last hope we have.
“They should not collect money or anything from any body and call white black in the name of technicalities, they should remember that one day all of us will appear before the Almighty Supreme judgement of the most high God.”
The protesters appealed to Nigerians to stand up for justice, noting that the outcome of injustice is grave and devastating.
The 80 year old woman appealed to the judiciary not to allow Nasarawa state become another theater of war by delivering judgement based on technicalities instead of merit, fact and law