Solomon Attah,Lafia
The concern women group of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), protesting the declaration of Governor Abdullahi Sule as the winner of the March 18th governorship election has given the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) seven days to review the discrepancies in the governorship election results.
The leader of the protesting group, Stella Okposhi stated this when speaking to newsmen, after presenting their letter of protest to the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Uthman Adejigba in his office in Lafia.
Okposhi, who is the State PDP women leader, said, they are planning to take an action and to push further for justice and equity, should the REC fail to respond to their request at the end of the seventh day as required by the electoral act.
She said, their protest, Wich has entered day-3 was normal in a democratic setting, as there was no violent, destruction or thread issued to anyone.
“We went peacefully from our party office to the INEC office to ask the INEC REC to tell us and to announce the governorship election
“The reason we went to the REC is that, two wards of Gayam and Ciroma cannot determined the election of 13 local governments, because these two wards are under Lafia as a local government.
“And it is in this two wards that the election of the governorship and House of Assembly was conducted simultaneously.
“But at the end, that of the governorship, the INEC officer claimed that they have announced it, which to us, is a fraudulent act .
“Since they did not announce that of the House of Assembly, which is just a constituency election, but announced the governorship, which consist of 13 local governments, within the shortest period.
“While the house of Assembly election is still pending for two to three days now, they are saying the election for the Lafia central is inclusive.
“If the election of Lafia central, which consist of Gayam and Ciroma wards is inclusive, then automatically that of the governorship is been rigged.
“Because, if they cannot get exact number to announce the house of Assembly election, and Gayam and Ciroma are part of Lafia government, which the election was conducted from the pollings with the same BVAS and accreditation, with that of the governorship, the only difference was the result sheets, then they cannot announce the right thing, then there is problem.
“Where did they get the figure to announce that of the governorship and they cannot get the correct figure to announce that of the House of Assembly, which they are saying is inclusive.
“That is the reason we are protesting. To us as women in Nasarawa State. We believe that the so-called announcement of the governorship election is fraudulent.
“They have rigged the election, if not, the figure that did not determine the House of Assembly election, should equally apply to the figure that should not be annouced the governorship election.
“That is why we feel, the INEC has not play their part. They have taken side.
“When we went to the INEC office the first day, we only saw the INEC PRO, we told him we want to see the INEC Commissioner. On the second day, we repeated the same protest to INEC and luckily we met him (REC). We explained our feeling to him and we told him that, if Justice is not prevail, then he should know that, they want to put Nasarawa into a situation that is only God that will take control of it.
She said, as peace makers, we are asking for justice in the March 18th governorship election.
“We also told him that, whoever try to deny what God has destine for someone, that person’s destiny can never be fulfilled. God will also purnish and tarnish that person’s image.
“We also told him that, we are waiting for him to know that, whatever they gathered, whatever is the plan or sentiments, they should know that Nasarawa State is greater than the INEC o an individual.
She said, their protest was not to fight anybody, but to enable INEC justify the true mandate of the people.
“If they did not, we will still go back in protest. As women of Nasarawa State, we ask the INEC to recheck the discrepancies in the election result of the governorship within 7 days so that the reality and the truth will prevail.
“And the seven days start from the date of the election was conducted and if he did not response positively to us, we will still go back to him for justice and equity, because as an Independent National Electoral Commission, it is their duty and we want them to be independent and never to allow themslves to be bought up or dance to tune of anybody.
“We don’t want any favour from them, we want a level playing ground so that everybody will test his popularity, and the people of Nasarawa State have done so
“Where we protest, and justice is not prevail and the right thing is not done, that is where we will further push for justice.
But for now, we are waiting for the seventh day for the REC to response to our letter and demand, and if he did not respond, that is where he will see the response of the women and the action that will be taken,” Stella Okposhi said.
