About 1,000 aged women from across the 13 Local Government Areas of Nasarawa State held a peaceful protest in Lafia, the state capital, seeking a review of the recently conducted governorship election in the state.
Speaking during the protest which held at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) secretariat in Lafia, State Women Leader of the PDP, Stella Oboshi, said the party’s governorship candidate, David Ombugadu, won the polls, not the incumbent Governor, Abdullahi Sule as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC).
Stella, called on the INEC to do the needful by reviewing the election results and announce the actual winner of the election, adding that members of the party will continue to peacefully demonstrate, if their demands are neglected.
“The reason for performing here is that we are protesting because of the election that was rigged. They rigged us in the election, and as women in the party, we are not happy with what has happened in Nasarawa state.
“Peaceful demonstration in politics is allowed because there is freedom of speech. As you can see, since Tuesday last week when we started protesting, we have not harmed anyone, and we have also not insulted anyone or destroyed any property,” she said.
Banned protests
PDP Women leader, Stella Oboshi, demanded that the INEC should review results collated from across the state and announce the actual winner of the governorship election.
Responding to the recent ban on all forms of protests by the Nasarawa State Police command; said that the women groups were law-abiding loyal citizens of the country which was why they decided to hold the protest inside the party’s premises, adding that all protesters were given a directive not to invade the streets to avoid the breakdown of law and order in the state capital.
“The police have banned protests in the state. We are not outside, we are inside our party’s office. So, I feel we are not against the law”,
“We are peacemakers, that is why all our protests have been peaceful,”she added.
Olusola Akintonde
