Protests rock Lafia as Supreme Court upholds Governor Abdullahi Sule’s Election

Protests have erupted in Lafia, the capital of Nasarawa State, following the Supreme Court’s judgment affirming the election of Governor Abdullahi Sule. Demonstrators have completely blocked the Lafia-Jos road, a crucial link to Benue and other parts of the North East, causing disruptions by burning tires along the highway.

As a consequence, shops, business centers, banks, and schools in the Lafia metropolis have hastily closed. The only highway connecting Lafia to other regions is impassable, forcing motorists to seek alternative routes to navigate their way out of the Nasarawa State capital.

Mallam Dogo Audu, an automobile mechanic, emphasized the need for an increased deployment of security operatives to restore calm, especially in the state capital.

The Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision by a five-member panel, upheld the Court of Appeal’s judgment that invalidated the annulment of Governor Sule’s election. Governor Sule, affiliated with the All Progressives Congress (APC), was declared the winner of the governorship election held in the state on March 18, 2023.

Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, delivering the lead judgment, dismissed the appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, David Ombugadu, deeming it lacking in merit.

Earlier, the Nasarawa State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal nullified Governor Sule’s election on October 2, 2023, citing over-voting in several polling units. However, following an appeal, the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal reversed the decision on November 23, asserting that the tribunal had erred in concluding that Governor Sule did not win the majority of lawful votes. The appellate court emphasized the reliance on legally inadmissible evidence by the tribunal in declaring the PDP candidate as the valid winner of the governorship contest.