Tribunal’s verdict vindicated us, says Nasarawa PDP Chair

The outcome of the Nasarawa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has further reechoed the stance of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) of winning the March 18, 2023, governorship election in the state.

The State PDP Chairman, Francis Orogu, speaking shortly after the verdict, said the party has been vindicated of its earlier claim.

“First of all, thank God for letting us see this day in Nasarawa State. I want to say, that there is still hope in this country, at least as justified by the tribunal members, who have held onto value instead of any kind of material reward, they have held back to principle instead of inducement that is going on everywhere in this country.

“We want to appreciate them that, they will be honoured and their children and grandchildren shall reap from what they have done, for holding the truth, at least for once in this state among many other tribunal panels that held similar cases in past.

“We are not surprised because we won this election squarely, and the whole country was aware that we won the election, it was squeezed out of the success on a day of that election, and today we have even vindicated that whatever we say from the beginning it has come to this point that we can now say, thank God,” he said.

Read also  Tribunal sacks gov Sule of Nasarawa, declares PDP winner

He was optimistic that God who answers their prayers at the tribunal, will still do the same at whatever levels of the court and, therefore, it will not change.

He said the truth is constant, and as such, it never changes, even as he congratulated the people of Nasarawa State for securing their mandate at the tribunal.

The counsel to Governor Abdullahi Sule, Mubarak Adekilekun, said, with the dissenting judgement that is even far rooted in logic and law, they will surely appeal the judgement to retain the power to the APC.

“The tribunal has delivered both the majority and minority judgements. We call it split decisions, one by two, the presiding Judge and No. 1, then member 2 dissented.

“But the gist of the judgement of the majority is that they have declared the PDP candidate as the winner of the election, then the dissenting judgement held that the Governor of Nasarawa State, who’s the 2nd responded, Engr. A. A. Sule is the winner of the March 18, 2023 governorship election and that he won with 3799 valid votes,” Adekilekun said.

He said when there is a dissenting judgement that is even far rooted in logic and law, appealing the judgement favouring PDP is sure. Hence, they will appeal after meeting with their client.

Aliyu Bello, the State APC Chairman, who corroborated his position with the Adekilekun, said, as a veteran, he was not jittery and not bothered because he knew the law would take it course.

“The tribunal split judgement two to one and has given people the two, but the dissenting judgement was rooted because it has explained everything, and so, as you may be aware, the two of us are going on appeal.”

He said if they believe they are the winner, they should not appeal the minority judgement.