Sule, Abiodun, Oborevwori applaud Supreme Court Judgments

• Declare Readiness To Serve States Better
• Omo-Agege Congratulates Delta Gov

Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, yesterday, said that protests against the Supreme Court judgment that affirmed his victory in the March 18, 2023, governorship election would not change anything.

The governor said that the Supreme Court is the ultimate and final court, appealing to all those who appreciate democracy to take its verdict in good faith. He charged the opposition to learn from the maturity displayed by members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), who heeded the advice not to protest when he lost at the tribunal.

This was as Sule alongside the immediate past national chairman of the APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, and the immediate past governor of the state, Senator Tanko Almakura, paid a ‘thank you’ visit to President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, shortly after the Supreme Court affirmed his victory.

“As far as we are concerned in Nasarawa State, we have won at the Court of Appeal unanimously. We also won today with the five justices being led by a panel of the highly respected Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun (JSC),” Sule said.

He called on the opposition to, without any grudge whatsoever, join hands with him to build the state. Earlier yesterday, there was a protest in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital, following the Supreme Court verdict, which affirmed Sule’s victory at the polls.

Specifically, the Lafia-Jos road was completely blocked as the protesters set a bonfire to prevent travelers and other road users. On the protest over the Supreme Court judgment, he said: “Nasarawa is a state where we had over 600,000 votes and we won with over 340,000 votes; so you will know that over 200,000 people did not vote for us. So, if out of these 200,000 people that did not vote for us and other set of 1,000 people are protesting somewhere, then you will know because it’s a day that not everybody will be happy.

“In every state where the Supreme Court actually passed judgment, in every one of these states, you will find some people are happy and some other people not happy. But I think people who understand what democracy is all about will understand that the Supreme Court is the ultimate and the final and those who appreciate or respect democracy should actually leave it right there because protests or no protest will not change anything.

The Supreme Court has already passed its judgment. “So, in our own case, when we lost at the tribunal, we told everybody, nobody should protest and that’s why nobody protested. But that is the level of maturity that you will see from one political party or the other. We are a very mature political party; we are the ruling party in the country; we are the ruling party in the state and we are showing a good example. So, that’s why we will not protest.”

The governor commended President Tinubu for allowing the judiciary to do its work without any interference. Meanwhile, Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has said that his administration would now keep its eyes on further development of the state, following his Supreme Court victory yesterday.

The governor said that all attempts to distract his administration have failed, noting that the Supreme Court victory marks an end to court shopping by his political adversaries.

Abiodun stated this in an interview with journalists at the Gateway International Airport, Iperu-Remo, on his arrival from Abuja. He called on the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ladi Adebutu, and other political adversaries to get ready for their re-run in 2027.

“We hope our opponents who have been making a lot of noise about a re-run can prepare for a re-run in 2027.

“Now, this victory marks an end to this court shopping for adversaries and for us. It is the final victory in this journey that started in 2018.

“We will now keep our eyes further focused on the ball. All attempts to distract us have failed,” he said.

Abiodun also promised that his administration would now focus more on sustaining its legacies, adding that the people of the state would now begin to experience the good programmes his administration has for them.

“We will now focus on sustaining our legacies, the foundation of which we laid since we assumed office in 2019 and in the coming weeks, you will see some of the goodies that we will be unveiling for the good people of the state,” he said.

Abiodun expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for supporting his political journey; his team of lawyers led by Chief Wole Olanipekun, national and state chairmen of the APC, Dr. Abdulahi Umar Ganduje and Chief Yemi Sanusi for their support.

He also praised the five-man panel of the Supreme Court led by Hon. Justice John Inyang Okoro, the Ogun State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal and the Appeal Court, for affirming the choice of the people of the state.

“Today, the Supreme Court has affirmed our victory, which was earlier affirmed by the Tribunal and then the Appeal Court, but our adversaries were not satisfied. They proceeded to the Supreme Court and yet again the five-man panel led by the Hon. Justice John Inyang Okoro affirmed the wishes of the generality of the Ogun State people.

“We thank them because once again; they have demonstrated that they are the hope and the last one of the common man.

“We want to appreciate the tribunal who laid the foundation for today’s victory. The Appeal Court further built on that foundation and all the judges of both courts and, of course, now the Supreme Court led by Hon. Justice John Inyang Okoro,” he said.

Following the Supreme Court judgment against the appeal by the PDP governorship candidate in Kaduna State, Isa Ashiru, the opposition parties in Kaduna State have been advised to join hands with Governor Uba Sani to move the state forward.

Special Assistant to Governor Uba Sani on Islamic Affairs, Malam Abdurrahaman Zakariya Usman gave the advice after the court affirmed Sani as the duly elected governor of the state, yesterday.

He said the verdict was the will of Allah and should be accepted in good faith by the citizens and opposition parties in order to build Kaduna State. Usman called on the general public to continue giving support to the governor, stressing that he would deliver on his campaign promises.

According to him, the governor would provide ample opportunities to residents in realising their desires in all areas, and for the growth of the state.
He urged those saddled with the responsibility of leadership in the state to be fair to all, while calling on all citizens to pray and work for the success of the administration in the state.

In Delta State, jubilation erupted in Asaba, the state capital, yesterday, following Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s victory at the Supreme Court, which sealed his legal battle with former Senate Deputy President and APC candidate, Ovie Omo-Agege; Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi and Labour Party (LP) candidate, Ken Pella.

Oborevwori, who was indeed elated for successfully passing through the court processes, walked into the Government House Chapel with over 300 PDP faithful and supporters at 3:15pm.

Oborevwori, who dedicated the victory to all Deltans, assured that he would serve and deliver the dividends of democracy to the people of the state.
Reacting to the verdict, Chief Ovie Omo-Agege congratulated Oborevwori, saying: “It has been a long-drawn out struggle to offer our people the best in the governance of our state. It is about the collective interest and good of our people, not our personal interest. Having now received the Supreme Court’s seal of approval, I must wish you well as a democrat. May the good Lord guide and abide with you and give you good health, strength and wisdom to govern our state well.”